God Slayer DxD
by Ten-Faced Paladin
Summary: An Eighth King rises up. He takes up residence in Kuoh and soon discovers that there is much more to the supernatural than just Heretic Gods. Devils, Fallen Angels, it's a wide world out there and he's just scratching the surface. OC Main Character.
1. Hail to the King

**I do not own High School DxD, elements of Code Geass, or Campione! I am only writing this for fun and for no other reason. If you don't like it then please go and find something more suitable to your tastes because I will not change my stories to try and please everyone. For those of you willing to continue, I hope you all enjoy.**

 **God Slayer DxD**

 **By Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Chapter 1: Hail to the King**

"Kuoh Academy," he whispered to himself, staring at the tastefully European educational facility which stood in front of him.

The young man was a student of the school, wearing the black uniform of the second-year students that went to the school. However, he was easily six feet tall despite his age and so the uniform was tight on his frame. The school just didn't have any uniforms his size so they had to order one special and gave him the largest size they had as a stop-gap The jacket had to be left open otherwise it would not fit, revealing a green t-shirt underneath The pants were also tight, outlining his physique which was good but he had doubts that the girl who passed him the uniform got the size wrong to outline his ass better. He couldn't _prove_ it, but he was sure it turned out that way.

As before, he was breaking six feet in height. Head and shoulders above any of the average Japanese teens who went to the school. However, many foreigners went to the school as well so he didn't stand out as much as he would have anywhere else in Japan. He had brown hair which helped him blend in more rather than the bright and colorful hair of some of the students. The only part of it that really stood out was his sideburns which not many young men in the school had. His face was Caucasian, obviously from North America or Europe.

"Lord Summers, I have already dealt with the details pertaining to your enrollment," a woman's voice spoke. "They have already sent the Student Council President to meet you and answer any questions you might have."

The woman in question walked up to the young man was a beautiful example of the female gender, but there was stern discipline in the way she walked. She was dressed as an impeccable personal assistant with a deep red jacket and pencil dress with a white blouse perfectly buttoned. Her legs was covered by dark stockings and her posture accented by black high heels. Her body shape was slim, but blessed in the hips and bust department. Although she was indeed on the thin side, it belied the strength in her muscles. Her face was beautiful, angled in all the ways a mature woman should ideally be. Her skin was an exotic tan, not the kind achieved by a bottle or even by sunlight, but her natural skin tone. Her eyes were a golden amber while her hair seemed almost gray, tied into a simple, functional ponytail while some at the front framed her face on one side, long enough to reach her chest. She wore tasteful makeup, but her lips were painted purple of all colors which actually looked good on her skin tone. Completing the 'hot secretary' look were the pair of small oval glasses she wore.

"Thanks Villetta," Michael Summers smiled lightly. "I know this probably wasn't what you had in mind when you signed on under me…"

"Think nothing of it Lord Summers," the woman named Viletta smiled back, obvious affection in her features despite her discipline. "I understand that serving under one of the Devil Kings isn't going to be exciting all the time..."

"Just most of the time it seems," Michael grinned weakly.

"True," Villetta's smile grew. "But sometimes skill at mundane things is required. Fortunately, I at least have talent in that."

"Which I very much appreciate," Michael nodded before turning to face the school. "I can face Heretic Gods without balking but going to a Japanese school causes my heart to race."

"You'll do fine," Villetta chuckled, adjusting her glasses to look at the school, "At the very least, the _Language_ ability will let you understand everyone." She grew serious again. "Now you should go. The Student Council President is named Sona Shitori so please follow her for your orientation here."

"Right, Right," Michael heaved a sigh. "Well, see you tonight then."

"I will pick you up this afternoon," Villetta nodded, turning to walk for a _very_ nice sports car parked near the school. "And do try to at least attempt finding some sisters for me, won't you?"

"URK!" Michael turned bright red at the teasing before he turned around. "VILLETTA! DON'T JOKE ABOUT THAT!"

"I never joke," Villetta looked over her shoulder. "Remember, the more skilled operatives you have around you, the stronger your influence. So please don't reject the idea out of hand. Besides, what hot-blooded young man wouldn't want a harem of his own?"

"Me, because I know it'll never happen," Michael grit his teeth.

"With your Authority it can," Villetta snickered, walking for the car again. "It's how you got me after all."

"Ugh," Michael's eye twitched. No one would have thought Villetta was the type to encourage the

'harem ending' and she wouldn't...up until she met him. Sighing, Michael turned and walked towards Kuoh again. "Of all the freaking Authorities I could have gotten, why did I get the perverted one?"

The young man approached the front doors of the school and entered. He came to a stop in the middle of the main foyer. Students milled about, but he was looking for directions instead of someone in particular. Scratching his head, he looked around for someone who looked like they were a part of the Student Council. In a school with uniforms and all that, it meant that they would be wearing a different kind of uniform to show their rank, right?

"Summers, Michael-san?"

Michael, or Mike as he'd insist, turned at the mention of his name and spotted a student looking at him. She was slender and perhaps a little on the shorter side. She had short hair which was tamed with a single hairclip and red glasses which were cute but professional at the same time, being oval with red frames. What made her unusual though was the fetching shade of pink that her eyes were.

"Yes?" Mike asked, already guessing who the girl was.

"I am Shitori Sona, the Student Council President here at Kuoh Academy," the girl approached Mike and bowed in greeting to him. "Welcome to our school."

"Ah, thank you for having me," Mike bowed back. "I'm under the impression that I'll be relying on you to help me learn the layout of the school and all that."

"Your guardian already sent notice," Sona nodded. "I was sent by the principal to welcome you and escort you to your homeroom as well as provide answers to any of your questions you may have."

"Viletta always is ahead of the mark," Mike smiled. "Thank you for making time for me then Kaichou. Please lead the way."

"Follow me," Sona nodded, turning and beginning to walk towards one of the main stairwells in the school. Mike swiftly moved to keep up, making sure he remembered any landmarks he might need to know while traversing the hallways. Kuoh was just as impressive on the inside as it was on the outside, being aesthetically pleasing while at the same time boasting the functionality which all of the Japanese schools wished to have to ensure all of their staff and students could get the best results to their efforts.

As they walked, Mike could feel something...off...about Sona. So off, it was ringing warning bells in his head. Some kind of...miasma, seemed to waft off of her in his mind. It didn't spark the recognition which he came to associate with his natural enemies, but something that was...opposite, of them. It didn't make sense to his mind, but whatever the reason it did tell Mike that Sona was not human. That just put him on edge.

"I understand that you are here on a scholarship, managing to test in with very high scores," Sona commented as they walked.

"Ah...yes," Mike nodded, coming out of his observation. "Japan's sort of always held this appeal to me and when the chance came up to score a scholarship I just had to go for it. Of course, the only way my parents would let me go for it is if I applied to some of the best schools. Kuoh was at the top of that list and it's experience with foreign students just helped make that choice easier."

"I see. Well I must say you chose wisely and Kuoh is lucky to have you," Sona agreed. "Your test scores if I recall correctly were in the top percentile of all of the applicants for that scholarship. Many teachers were foaming at the mouth to send your acceptance."

"It wasn't easy, but nothing worthwhile really is," Mike shrugged. "I'm glad the effort paid off though."

"Indeed," Sona nodded. The pair continued travelling, reaching the second floor of the building where the second-year students were placed. Eventually they stopped at one of the classrooms. "Here is your class. 2-B. The teacher will call you in when it is time to introduce you."

"I understand," Mike nodded neutrally.

"I have other duties to see to," Sona continued. "But do not be afraid to seek me out should any issues or concerns arise. I am always available for my fellow students as the Kaicho."

"I appreciate that. Thank you for taking time out of your schedule for me," Mike bowed a second time. "Incidentally, are there any dedicated groups or clubs for chess?"

Sona raised an eyebrow at the question, but not in confusion or any other reason, but in actual interest, "While the school does not have an official club for the sport, there are a dedicated few enthusiasts who enjoy the challenge."

"Ah, good," Mike grinned. "Would it be beyond your abilities to introduce me, or at least point me in their direction? I've been itching for a serious opponent for a while now and so few people who know the game and can be good at it exist."

"I am one of them," Sona smiled at Mike. "I do have time after school. If you are interested in a game then please visit. Perhaps you will meet some of the other enthusiasts as well."

"I look forward to it," Mike grinned even wider. "Until then Kaichou."

"Until then," Sona nodded, walking away to pursue her other duties.

(LINE BREAK)

The day followed as typical in Mike's experiences. He introduced himself to his class, the vast majority of them being girls. Many of them swooned at having an attractive foreigner joining their class and commented about how lucky they were. Mike didn't pay the attention any mind though. Since Kuoh only just became a mixed gender school such a short time ago, the girls likely weren't used to being in such constant close contact with boys their own age outside of their brothers or cousins. Of course they were going to giggle and swoon over a new male face.

He worked through the lessons of course, but it was simply going through the motions for him. He knew the subject matter from tutors and from all the self-study he did to get into Kuoh. His mind was more focused on his upcoming chess match against Sona. He hadn't had a real opponent in the sport for a while now since so few people around him really played the game aside from owning some elaborate sets for decoration. The only people he could regularly play against were Villetta and she was still leagues above him despite how far he'd come. He needed some variety if he wanted to finally overcome her.

Mike found his way to the Student Council Room after the final bell had rung and everyone was getting ready to go home. Reaching out, he gently rapped on the door since he didn't want to disturb Sona or anyone else if they were busy doing whatever the student council did. He was never on one so he was never really sure what it was the group was supposed to do. Organize events he supposed or worked the budgets for the various clubs if nothing else.

"Enter," Sona's voice called from inside.

Mike opened the door, entering the room proper. Sona was sitting behind a desk at the other end. Lining the room were more desks with other students, mostly girls save for one blonde guy who were busy with their own paperwork. To Mike, they were likely Sona's other ministers or whatever the term was who took care of their own portion of the school and what not. Treasurer, student athletics, etc. The girl sitting at the desk right next to Sona where the others didn't had to be her vice-president, a long-haired girl who wore the same kind of glasses Sona did.

At the same time, Mike's senses kicked up. The entire room was saturated with the same power that Sona possessed. Each student in the room was even giving it off, although Sona's was definitely the strongest. It sent a shiver down his spine, but he didn't feel anything hostile coming from it all. It was just...heavy, being the best word he could think for it.

"Ah, hello Summers-san," Sona nodded. "I trust your first day has gone well?"

"As well as first days go," Mike nodded. "I was wondering if that offer of a game of chess was still open."

"Of course," Sona nodded, turning to her vice-president. "Tsubaki, of you could set up the chess board while I finish with this document?"

"Of course Kaichou," the young woman nodded as she got up and retrieved what looked like an elaborate chess board, the kind which was like a polished wooden box with the pieces inside. Another one of the council produced a table to play on while a third brought over nice chairs to sit on. The board was quickly set up as Tsubaki removed the chess pieces from small drawers and arranged them into their beginning positions. When she was done, she presented the playing space to both Mike and Sona who nodded their thanks and took their seats, Sona taking the black pieces while Mike took the white ones. The pieces themselves looked like typical chess pieces, save they looked like polished porcelain with gold accents, making Mike almost unwilling to touch them. At the least, he could tell Sona respected the game if she had a set which looked so good.

"Would you be adverse to my fellow council members watching?" asked Sona. "They enjoy watching me play."

"Not at all," Mike smiled. "Shall we begin?"

"Indeed," Sona smiled slightly. "Your move."

Mike nodded and moved one of his pawns, beginning the game. It started out much like any Chess game did, both players moving their pieces in their opening gambits. The student council had seen Sona play the game many times so they could tell the first moves were about setting up strategies and preparing for future moves. As the game began to progress though, Mike did something which caused Sona to quirk an eyeball at the unconventional tactic: He had begun moving his king across the board.

"Do you think it is wise to move the king so early in the game?" asked Sona as she positioned a knight to remove a bishop.

"If a king does not lead, how can his subjects be expected to follow?" asked Mike with a grin as he moved a rook and took out one of Sona's pawns.

"Hm," Sona raised an eyebrow, knowing there was something to the move.

Moving the king was always a risky move, but it was also a smart one. The king was the goal of the players, trying to bring down that piece was the point of the game. Mike knew this, but he also knew that he had strength in moving the king. By moving the king, you moved where the flow of the game was going. Moving the king meant forcing the opponent to rethink their moves to try and get to him. He could also predict a few moves his opponent would take to try and reach the king and he could prepare accordingly and spring his own traps.

The council members began to grow more interested as they saw the moves being played out. Sona had to rethink her movements a few times as Mike moved his king, changing the avenue of where she would have to go in order to bring it down. It was also taking her longer and longer to make each move as she paused to consider the consequences of each move. More than once she was about to attempt one of her forward assaults when she noticed an enemy piece waiting in the wings. She suffered it once when the knight she moved to take his bishop was instead itself removed by a well-positioned rook. Mike was proving quite experienced in the game which Sona found to be a pleasant surprise.

Finally, Sona seemed to make progress, "I do believe this places you in check." She punctuated the statement by placing a rook within spitting distance of his king.

"Does it?" asked Mike, moving said king one square away.

Sona opened her mouth to confirm it, but then saw where the king had been moved. If she tried to follow it with her rook then it would be removed by one of his knights. Quickly seeing that it was a trap, she instead moved her queen to pick up the slack and prepare for a more thorough check on her next turn. Mike smiled at the move before he reached across the board and nudged his pawn into the last square on the board, deep in Sona's territory, "Promotion: Queen."

"Ah," Sona nodded, mentally chiding herself for not paying attention to all the pieces on the board. The lure of getting to his king distracted her. "You let me get your king in check so you could move the pawn didn't you?"

"A slight risk, but one that paid off," Mike smiled, placing a removed pawn with his promoted one, one of the ways to represent a second queen on the board. "I do believe it is your turn."

The game became more intense and the audience in the room were soon ignoring their paperwork to instead watch how the game was going. Sona was indeed being challenged and whenever she seemed to get the upper hand on Mike, he seemed to have some kind of backup plan ready. Several times she almost missed some of the subtle moves he made towards her king, using all of his pieces extremely well, even the rather limited pawns who Sona would catch sneaking up on her more important pieces while she was paying attention to his stronger ones.

And then the turning point hit. Sona moved in with her queen to place Mike's king in check after chasing it all over the board. She was sure that she had effectively pinned him down for the win, but he then went and turned it around. Sneaking his last bishop through her line of pawns and single knight, he managed to capture her queen, robbing her of her most powerful attacker. She tried to compensate for the loss by moving in her rooks and her last knight, but he moved his rooks past her and his second queen through her ranks. Finally, he moved his remaining bishop into a fatal spot.

"Checkmate," he declared. Sona blinked and looked to her king. Sure enough, her king was pinned between the rooks, cut off by the bishop, and had two pawns guarding the last escape routes it had. Sighing, but far from upset, Sona tipped over her king to show her defeat. The other council members gasped in surprise. Mike assumed it meant Sona didn't lose very often in the game.

"Excellent game," she complimented, feeling quite invigorated. She usually didn't have so much fun unless she was challenging her best friend to a match.

"Thank you. You're very good. I had to reorganize several of my plans since you managed to spot them and slip through," Mike smiled as he and Sona began packing up the board. "I'd love to have the chance to play you again."

"I think I can agree to that," Sona smiled slightly as she placed her pieces into the drawer on her side.

After cleaning up, Mike said his goodbyes and left the student council room where mutterings could be heard. No doubt Sona losing a game of chess was something to gossip about if her council knew her as well as he suspected. She was quite the cunning strategist and a very challenging opponent. He'd look forward to challenging her again once they both had the time. Besides, if he was lucky maybe she'd introduce him to some of the other chess enthusiasts that were hidden among the ranks at the school. If they were anything like Sona, it would definitely be fun.

"Still," he pondered as he glanced back at the Student Council Office, "Just what the heck are they? Nothing divine, that's for sure, but not human either."

He'd have to keep an eye out for clues. Maybe kickstarting his _Heart of Wisdom_ wouldn't be a bad idea, if only to try and piece together the clues he was or may soon see.

"Have to ask Viletta when I see her," he resolved.

(LINE BREAK)

"Thank you for your patronage!"

Mike waved to the cute cashier before he stepped out of the convenience store with his gains. His sweet tooth had demanded satisfaction so he wandered through the streets to the store so he could buy a few snacks to munch on before he went home to get his homework done. It was fairly simple stuff for him so he could afford to be lazy about it. The sweets demanded much more attention for the time being. It still didn't divert his attention from the fact that apparently the whole student council was composed entirely of non-humans of unknown origin.

Now, he didn't have anything against non-humans. At least he didn't think so since he hadn't met any aside from Heretic Gods and they were generally douchebags all the time anyway. Now if those non-humans were doing something malicious to the rest of the school then he'd have to exercise his own power as one of the eight Devil Kings and start kicking some butt, the Japanese King's lands be damned.

"Man, I thought once I got to Japan things would cool down," He stopped at a side street when a boy wearing his school's uniform walked past looking like his world was ending. Blinking, Mike watched him go and realized he recognized the kid, "Hyoudou?"

Although he didn't know the boy personally, all of the girls in his class made it a very important point to show Mike what Issei Hyoudou looked like, as well as stress the fact to never be around him lest he get infected with something. Issei, it turned out, was a huge pervert and the only reason he chose to go to Kuoh was because of the imbalance between boys and girls. His goal, as he publicly stated many times, was to collect a harem of women who he could do ecchi things to day and night. With that perverted drive, he was also caught peeking on the various girls' sports teams again and again and never seemed apologetic for it unless he was caught. Teamed up with him was Matsuda, a short-haired lolicon who had no shame, judging if he talked about watching porn or lending it out in class to be any indication. There was also a third stooge, Motohama, a bespectacled pervert who would unashamedly stare at women to estimate their BWH sizes. Sadly, he was able to nail it down exactly which proved just how much he did it. Together they were known as the Perverted Trio, the three most desperate virgins to ever cross Kuoh's grounds. A lot of people wondered why the three weren't expelled for their peeking stunts when anyone else who did it as much as they did would have been banned from public schools entirely for their indecency.

"Now what the hell is his problem?" Mike frowned, finishing off the pocky in his mouth. The guy looked like he was at the end of his rope and depressed. Shrugging, Mike prepared to just go and get on with his evening.

That was when it hit him.

"This is…" Mike gasped and turned in the direction of where Issei was going. It was quite obvious and he could feel divine power...but it wasn't anywhere near the level of a Heretic God or a Divine Ancestor. Some kind of Divine Beast? But then why did it feel...tainted?

Mike's features hardened and he began following after Issei. Something weird was up and it likely wasn't anything good for the resident super-perv. Grumbling to himself, he set off in the same direction as the pervert, hoping he could do something before the guy ended up dying or worse. He may have been a letch, but Mike was sure no amount of being a desperate perv warranted being smited by a Heretic God.

After turning down a few streets, Mike's senses went haywire when he felt a huge amount of magic kicked up. Looking, he spotted a nearby park get surrounded by a magical barrier. It definitely wasn't a human one, but it wasn't divine either, there were no divine symbols making up the barrier. It just looked like one big purple miasma.

"Dammit!" Mike cursed, dropping his bag of sweets before running for the barrier. Coming up to the very edge, he saw Issei staring down a man with gray hair wearing a purple trench coat, fedora, and a white ascot. They were talking, but the barrier prevented Mike from hearing anything.

Suddenly, the back of the man erupted in black feathers, exposing a set of two black wings which flapped, sending dust in all directions. Issei on the other hand began to freak out and he took off running. In the next heartbeat, the man's hand shone with light that solidified into a blue light spear which he promptly hurled at Issei. Sadly, the man's aim was true and the spear planted itself into Isse's back, erupting out from his chest.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Mike yelled. Enraged, he reared back his fist before slamming it into the barrier. Although it held some divinity, it obviously wasn't entirely divine as the barrier rippled violently from the strike. It served to catch the divine being's attention, causing him to look at Mike with confusion. Mike just reared back his fist and smashed it against the barrier a second time.

*RIIIIIIIIIP!*

Like a curtain being torn, the barrier was ripped away by Mike's own ability to negate magic he came into contact with. Mike didn't stop with just breaking the barrier, he ran through the hole he made and charged right at the stunned man. Rearing back his fist, he lashed out with a roar of "MURDERER!"

*CRACK!*

Mike's fist smashed into the man's face, sending him tumbling across the ground before he landed in a heap. He gagged before spitting out a tooth, forcing himself to stand up with blood dribbling from his mouth, "I wasn't aware that the little Devil had someone tailing him. Two Devils to kill tonight."

"I'm the only Devil you're going to see tonight," Mike growled as the divine man generated another spear of light. "You just crossed the wrong Campione!"

The man, up to that point quite calm, suddenly choked and began to gape, "Wh-what?!"

Mike didn't reply as a golden aura began to fire up around him and he began to speak, " _Deep within the earth, my reign grows onward. My wealth swells, my treasures increase, all for the prosperity of my kingdom. The vaults are locked to all but me and now I shall open the doors and bask in the radiant glow!_ "

The ground beneath Mike and the man's feet began to rumble before cracks shot across the stone surface of the cobblestone and grass. Mike thrust out his hand, causing the ground around the winged man to explode as a number of golden spears and axes rose out to try and impale him.

"Gah!" the man cried, flapping his wings and taking to the air, his coat shredded by the golden weapons as they tried to render him like swiss cheese. A safe distance, he scowled at Mike, "I didn't know one of your filthy ilk were here, but it will be pleasure erasing you for your blasphemy! Remember this as you die, you were killed by Dohnaseek of the Grigori, Godslayer!" he threw his spear with the force of a bullet.

Mike rolled to the side, avoiding the spear as it smashed into the ground. Coming to a rest on his knees, he thrust his fist outward which caused another explosion of dirt as several more spears were launched up at the now identified Dohnaseek. The winged man cursed and dove to avoid them, but Mike kept launching more spears from the ground to strike the divine being. He attempted to fight back, but he couldn't get a bead on Mike who was spamming more golden spears at him.

"Judging by you now, I'd say you're a Fallen Angel," Mike frowned, shooting another spear. "But you're not one I ever heard about. So are you a lesser-known Heretic God out for a stroll or are you spawned from the Authority of another Heretic God who has a loose leash?"

Dohnaseek dodged another spear before landing on the branch of a tree, scowling, " _Heretic God._ What a human impulse to give such an insulting name. Humanity has lost all respect for divine power, and you Campione are even worse, disrespecting the very _nature_ of the world and taking which was never yours!"

"Maybe if _Heretic Gods_ like you will stop causing hell for us mortals for fun maybe there'd be less Campione running around!"

"Bah! Mortals are playthings at best, distractions at worst! Either way, you were born to be ruled!" Dohnaseek generated another spear of light. "Now _Kneel!_ "

He threw the spear, prompting Mike to draw a large shield from the earth, letting the spear crash against it. He stomped the ground, forcing a polished pillar suitable for a temple of Solomon to burst from the ground and uproot the tree Dohnaseek had been standing in. The Fallen Angel cursed and took to the sky again.

"Blasted wretch!" Dohnaseek cursed, generating yet another spear as Mike called for more of his own to begin rising from the earth for more shots.

"ENOUGH!"

Both Campione and Fallen Angel stopped their assaults to see that they had an audience to their brawl. It was a group of teenagers who were standing near the downed Issei. Mike blinked, seeing that they were all wearing Kuoh Academy uniforms. One was tending to Issei, pressing her hands against the wound, showing that against all odds that he was still alive. She was a pretty girl with long black hair tamed only by an orange ribbon and playful pink eyes, plus the biggest boobs out of all the girls in Kuoh.

The one boy of the group had short blonde hair and was in fact quite handsome with blue eyes. In his hands was a sword which he held with experience. He was obviously used to using the sword and not just for any kind of showmanship. He knew how to fight and wasn't shy in doing that despite what his prince-like looks would suggest.

The third member of the group was a first-year girl who looked quite petite and almost looked like she should have been in secondary school still. Her hair was almost white and was short, but solely decorated with a cat-shaped hair clip. Her eyes seemed almost cat-like

The final member of the group was an admittedly gorgeous redhead whose crimson locks trailed to her waist. She stood with confidence, coincidentally jutting out her own large breasts. She looked quite irritated by the fight and were it not for the heavy feeling coming off of her and her company, Mike would have been sure that she had bought herself a one-way ticket to oblivion.

"So, the Gremory Heiress is the Devil's master then. How...unfortunate," Dohnaseek scowled, dismissing his spear.

"You are in violation of my territory and attacked one of my precious servants," the redhead frowned at the Fallen Angel. "Since I haven't declared him my servant yet, I will overlook this assault if you leave immediately. If this happens again I will consider it an assault by the Grigori."

"I will remember that. You just be sure to keep a closer eye on your servants so we don't have this...misunderstanding again," Dohnaseek retorted before he turned to leave. He cast one last hateful look at Mike before he took off into the now nighttime sky.

"As for you," Mike turned his attention to the redhead, expecting her to be just as stern. Instead, she smiled and bowed respectfully to him, "Thank you for protecting my precious servant, Lord Campione."

"You know what I am then," Mike smiled weakly.

"Of course. The power of a Campione is quite distinct," the redhead stood up. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Rias Gremory, heiress of the House of Gremory, and member of one of the 72 Pillars of the Underworld."

"Underworld?" Mike frowned. "You mean...you're some kind of devil?"

"Exactly," Rias nodded with a smile. There was the sound of wings unfolding and from Rias' back spread a set of bat-like demon wings perfect for a Devil. "I'm surprised that a Campione doesn't know of us."

Mike blinked, honestly shocked and he had taken on Heretic Gods. Still, if gods existed then it made sense that devils did too, "Well, in my defense I just became a Campione a bit over a week ago so there's things I'm still learning about the supernatural."

"Ah, I see," Rias nodded. "Well then, in the name of fostering good relations, would you like to join my Peerage and I at our clubhouse tomorrow? We can get to know each other there."

"Um...make it after school and you have a deal," Mike nodded, trying not to balk at being put in an apparent diplomatic situation with Devils of all people. The magic community may have called him a Devil King, but he was dealing with the real thing now! "You look like you have a bit of a medical emergency on your hands."

"Oh, Issei will be fine," Rias smiled, but not as strongly as she saw the second girl using an apparent magic to heal Issei's wound. To Mike's eyes, she was obviously distressed over his wounds. "Devils like us are a fair bit sturdier than humans, much like yourself."

' _Well that might explain his reputation_ ,' Mike absently thought before he nodded, "I'll take your word for it. Still, we'd better make tracks before any mundanes see us. I'm sure the local magic groups can repair the damage."

"Oh we can take care of that," Rias nodded, bowing a second time. "Have a pleasant night and we will see you tomorrow Lord Campione."

Mike nodded and turned to leave, "Right, see you tomorrow Gremory-san." None of the Devils tried to stop him and he half-expected it, but inwardly he only had to marvel, ' _This is the first time I met someone supernatural and didn't get into a fight!_ '

(LINE BREAK)

Mike quickly returned to his apartment, a luxury apartment which Villetta in getting him while he went to Kuoh. Coming up to the top floor via elevator, Mike walked to the only door on the floor before stepping inside. With a sigh, looking at the massive living room, he walked to his left and set his bag of treats down on a countertop. "Villetta, I'm back!"

"Welcome home Lord Summers," Villetta's voice rang back pleasantly.

Footsteps came from down a hallway before the woman in question came out into the living room. Mike looked to her before turning bright red and turning away. "Villetta! Come on, what the hell?!"

"Oh?" the bronze-skinned woman chuckled. The reason for Mike's distress was that Villetta was no longer wearing her professional clothes, but was instead wearing a black lace bra with matching panties that were tied at the sides complete with a garter belt holding up her stockings. Her hair was also down and her glasses were gone. Rather than be embarrassed, she seemed to find it all amusing, "Oh Lord Summers. I'm a woman who has sworn herself to you as your servant and mistress. You're lucky I'm wearing underwear at all."

Mike huffed and ran a hand down his face. He knew it was likely going to turn out this way, but it still didn't mean he was prepared for blatant seduction attempts. The woman was as professional as a soldier when she was at work, but at play she was almost a different person. Since swearing herself to Mike, her playful side got to come out more often. It made him want to bang his head on the wall sometimes. Villetta on the other hand just seemed to find it funny and began stalking towards Mike for phase 2 of her seduction plan. As she got closer though, she noticed that her sworn King was scuffed up and dirty. Suddenly seduction left her mind as she frowned slightly in concern, "My Lord, did you get in a fight while you were out?"

Mike sighed, "Yeah, against a Fallen Angel calling himself Dohnaseek. Then a bunch of kids from my school butted in and called themselves Devils and at least one had the wings to prove it." he turned and looked to his assistant. "Can you explain some of that?"

Villetta nodded and took Mike's hand to guide him to the couch. She took a moment to retrieve a bathrobe from her room before returning. As much as she enjoyed Mike's eyes roving her body, it was not the time for seduction. Maybe once the explanation was over she could help him relax, but not until then. She sat across from him, holding a tome from her personal collection. Opening, she set it down revealing a picture of what looked like a three-way war. At the top right corner, coming from a bright sun were white-winged angels. From the top left, where there was no light came angels with black wings. From the bottom which was filled with fire were several demons.

"I'm sure you are aware that there are other metaphysical realms that exist besides Earth?" asked Villetta.

"The Domain of Immortality where the gods reside and the Netherworld which is like a gap between where Heretic Gods reside to keep from getting into fights with Campione," Mike nodded, having been brought up to speed by the Whitengamont when he first became a Campione.

"There are those, but there are others," Villetta nodded, "Officially, their names are Paradiso and Inferno, but these days people just call them Heaven and Hell among other variations. These realms are repositories of human souls which have lived their lives and are either granted paradise or punishment for their actions during life. How they are judged though we aren't entirely sure yet."

"Okay, so am I to assume that Angels and Devils are the natural denizens of these realms?" asked Mike, his wisdom allowing him to draw a conclusion.

"Correct," Viletta nodded.

"But, since Christianity is such a huge religion across the world, wouldn't that make them Heretic Gods if they came to Earth, which they obviously do?" asked Mike.

"Not at all" Villetta shook her head. "They are influenced by belief, which is enough to give them their appearance, but only the ones who humans specifically worship and believe in become god-like. However, there do exist Heretic God versions of them in the Domain of Immortality which can become Heretic Gods should they decide to descend."

"So figures such as Michael, Gabriel, Lilith, Mammon, Lucifer, and the like," Mike nodded. "So then the rest are merely aspects of each realm, agents sent out to influence belief. Since they aren't worshipped, they're more like manifestations of Jehovah or Lucifer's power?"

"It's the working theory at the moment," Villetta nodded. "And do I need to go into where Fallen Angels come from?"

"Angels who gave into temptation," Mike nodded. "And since humans deal with them in their worship, ones like Azazel and Kokabiel probably make the cut to become Heretic Gods if they come to Earth."

"Exactly. That wisdom of Solomon is serving you well," Villetta smiled. "So about this Devil, did they give you a name?"

"Yeah, Rias Gremory," Mike nodded. "That help?"

"Immensely," Villetta turned more pages of her book before landing on a page. Turning the book, Mike looked to the words. It was all written in Latin, but thanks to _Language_ Mike had been able to learn it since the Whitengamont dealt with it so often. The entry Villetta opened to was in fact about a demon named Gremory, one of 72 nobles of the Inferno who appeared as a beautiful man or woman and was always riding a camel. "Her ancestor, but if she's a Gremory then she's definitely one of Inferno's best."

"So she has the credentials," Mike nodded. "But, aren't we dealing with legions of good and evil locked in struggle over the souls of all humans?"

Villetta shook her head, "No, the Three Factions of Angels, Devils, and Fallen reached a truce a long time ago. Not to mention that the Devils underwent a revolution. They don't barter in souls anymore, but deal with desire. The more desire a human puts into the deals with them, the more power the Devils receive. The Whitengamont deals with several Devil families and no one has lost their soul yet. They've proven trustworthy and benign."

"So when Gremory asked for a meeting she was probably on the level about it," Mike nodded.

"Which means you should attend and make sure to make a good impression," Villetta pointed to him. "This could be the beginning of creating a global network of supernatural contacts."

Mike sighed. Ever since she entered his service, Villetta was determined that Mike would become a Campione to match the others, which included creating a network of contacts and servants who would make up an organization to match the ones created by Black Prince Alec or Luo Hao. He wasn't exactly sure he wanted to do that, even if he could see the logic in Villetta's goals concerning him. As a Campione, everyone would be wanting a piece of him be it benign or malevolent reasons. Having a network of contacts would also make his own goals, whatever they may be, easier to achieve.

"Right, right," he rubbed his head. "So Devils aren't the pure evil they used to be and only the ones people worship or hold up above them become Heretic Gods. So we meet with this Gremory girl and learn what the deal is around here and act appropriately."

"Correct," Villetta nodded. She closed the book and stood up, promptly removing her bathrobe which made Mike choke on his own spit. "Now, you need a bath and then we should retire to bed. You are obviously in need of relaxing and as your mistress I will assist in this."

"W-Wait, you don't have to!" Mike flushed, the serious moment lost as Villetta moved back to her seductress persona.

"Oh no, you need to relax," Villetta smiled, tossing her robe away. "We have a big day tomorrow and you need to rest. What better way to relax than to release your frustrations inside of your mistress?"

' _DAMN AUTHORITY!_ ' Mike mentally cursed as Villetta closed in on him, reaching for her bra.

(LINE BREAK)

 **Abandoned Church**

In another section of the Kuoh area, there was a church. It had long been abandoned due to a lack of worshippers attending. It may or may not have had something to do with the fact that the area belong to the Gremory Family, a high noble family of Devils. In any case, the church had gone unoccupied for some time...until now.

"What the hell Dohnaseek!? A Campione came into town?!"

At the altar of the church was a group of Fallen Angels in conference. All of the religious symbols in the room had been destroyed, letting the group act in peace. The coat-clad Dohnaseek leaned against a broken cross, his arms crossed sourly.

The Fallen who had spoken was in appearance, a young woman who seemed on the short side with blonde hair tied into ponytails and was wearing a gothic lolita outfit. Although cute, she had a sour look on her face from the news her comrade.

"This is not good," another woman spoke. She had the appearance of an adult with long midnight hair. She wore a purple jacket and skirt, but was quite voluptuous. Her cleavage was easily on display, likely not wearing anything underneath while her skirt only came to her thighs and her high heels helped her posture look more seductive. "Devils are one thing, but this is a human who usurped the power of a god. Filthy thing he might be, he's still powerful."

"The problem is that we know nothing. He's new," Dohnaseek frowned. "But obviously that doesn't translate to weak. He also has a firm grasp of his Authorities, making him that much more of a difficult opponent to bring down."

"Great. If he catches wind of what we're doing, he might just come down on all of us looking for more Authorities, even if we aren't Heretic Gods," the loli girl huffed. "Now what do we do?"

"It's simple," another woman spoke. This one was a barely clothed woman wearing a leather bra over her ample bosom and matching panties. She also wore thigh high boots, bicep-length gloves and spiked shoulder pads, all leather which gave her a dominatrix look. Her hair reached her shoulders and was black, but her features were sinister, showing she didn't fall just for temptation but out of malice. "A whole legion of our forces couldn't beat a Campione. Even a newbie one held off an experienced fighter like Dohnaseek so he could handle all of us unless we have some backup."

"So what do you have in mind Raynare?" asked the woman.

"Kalawarner, Mittelt, Dohnaseek, what is the only thing that can take down a Campione?" asked Raynare.

"Duh, another Campione or a Heretic God," the loli Fallen Mittelt answered with a huff. "So what?"

"So we just find or call for a Heretic God," Raynare grinned. "With how wrathful they all are for Campione just existing, I'm sure we can find one or two who'd be happy to come and try to smite this one."

Dohnaseek frowned, "And just what stops them from taking us out next? Many Heretic Gods are a self-righteous bunch, corrupt as they can be sometimes."

"Well, if they owe us a favor they won't do anything," the woman Kalawarner began to ponder. "I think I might know of one who just might be able to help us since he has a beef with two Campione. The one who summoned him, and the one who killed him. Killing a new one for us would be an easy price to pay for his chance at revenge."

"Oh? We're listening," Raynare grinned.

(LINE BREAK)

 **Kuoh Academy**

The day had run on like nothing had happened, but Mike had been a little tense for his upcoming meeting with Rias. He had asked around about her, but the entire student body had nothing but wonderful things to say about the redhead. She was kind to her underclassmen, helpful to the teachers and her sempai, and never had a bad word to say about anyone. She was the leader of the Occult Research Club which apparently studied the supernatural. Everyone wanted in on the club, but apparently Rias had very high standards for who entered.

So far there were only a few members. One was Akeno Himejima, the girl with the biggest boobs in school and was called one of the Two Great Oneesamas next to Rias. She was never far behind from Rias so the pair seemed to indeed be best friends.

Also in the club was Koneko Tojou, arguably one of the cutest girls in the first year. She was considered something of a mascot for the entire school. She was a quiet person, but usually when she spoke it was something important. She did seem to have a weakness for sweets and was usually found munching on one outside of class.

There was also Kiba Yuuto, the one that all the girls in school called The Prince. He was kind, charming, and polite to everyone. With his good looks, all of the girls wanted to try and date him or become his girlfriend. Still, he would politely turn everyone down and go on his way. It didn't serve to dissuade any of them though.

The one weird member though was Issei, the newest member. Everyone was outraged that the biggest perv in school had somehow gotten into the exclusive club. In fact, many figured he was blackmailing Rias for membership since there was no way in their minds that such a pervert could ever get to be around Rias. Wild stories kept popping up about how he was taking advantage of the girls to slake his unnatural lusts.

It did help paint an image of the group's public faces, which gave Mike at least a little hope that he could be dealing with nice folks. He wasn't going to assume he was, but it was always good to hope for the best even if one was expecting the worst.

When the day ended, Mike collected his things and walked to the front gate. He didn't leave, but instead waited for Villetta to arrive who promptly did in the black car she would escort Mike places with. Stepping out, she was dressed in her secretary outfit again with her glasses.

"Thanks for coming," Mike nodded to her. "Ready to do this?"

"Of course," Villetta nodded. "Are you?"

"As I'll ever be," Mike sighed. "Just try not to tease anyone about our relationship this time? I got enough people staring at me in Britain when you decided to be vocal about how we got together."

Villetta laughed, "I was just being honest. You act like being lovers is such a chore, but you love it."

"SHHHHH!" Mike hissed, looking around to see if any remaining students heard. He glanced over and groaned when he saw the remaining members of the Perverted Trio staring at Villetta. Fortunately, it seemed they were too busy looking at her instead of listening. "Do you want to get me expelled or you arrested?!"

"We're speaking English. Only a few people in the school right now are likely fluent," Villetta grinned.

MIke groaned, cursing _Language_ for being so subtle. It was hard to tell what language he was speaking sometimes. Sighing, he turned and began heading back onto the school property with Viletta following him. They didn't go to Kuoh Academy proper, but instead walked around it to the back of the school were the trees grew. Partially hidden inside of the forest was a smaller school building which looked much older, albeit obviously cared for. It looked like a school house from the older days, made from wood and shingle instead of modern stone and metals.

The modern Kuoh Academy was built to handle the influx of new students after the school became co-ed. It was upgraded with modern facilities which were up to standard so the best of the best could still see that the school was the one they wanted their kids to go to. The old school building was left where it was for whatever reason and the Occult Research Club held their meetings there instead of the new building. No one seemed to argue the decision.

Mike and Villetta approached the old building and waiting out in front was the Prince of Kuoh Academy himself. Seeing the pair, he smiled before bowing politely, "Greetings Lord Campione. I'm Kiba Yuuto. My King asked me to guide you to the clubroom when you arrived."

"Thanks," Mike nodded. "Lead the way then."

"This way please." Kiba gestured for the pair to follow them and they entered the old building. After going up a flight of stairs, they came to what used to be an old classroom. Kiba opened the door and gestured for the pair to enter. Inside it seemed the room was furnished like a victorian mansion. It was all lit by candlelight, giving the place an occult feel. Seated on several couches were the remaining members of the club, Rias sitting in the centre of them all.

"Oh my god," Issei gaped, openly gawking at Villetta. "He has his own super-hot secretary!"

Villetta noticed the whisper and smirked at him, "And you'll never lay a hand on me. Only Lord Summers has that privilege."

"Villetta!" Mike flushed. "We do not talk about that!"

"WHAT?!" Issei leaped to his feet. "You mean you get to have the sexy secretary who you can do anything you want to?!"

"Ara ara, how naughty," Akeno smiled, seemingly to find the implied scandal very amusing.

"Pervert," Koneko mumbled, eating chocolates from a small plate.

Mike wilted at the girl's comment, "I didn't do it on purpose! It's just how one of my Authorities work!"

"Alright, alright," Rias spoke up, cutting off the banter despite obviously being amused by it all. "Let's all calm down and have some tea shall we? This is an important meeting we have to deal with first, then we can tease each other all we like."

Mike groaned, but took a seat next to Viletta across from Rias, "Well, let's get the formalities out of the way. My name's Michael Summers, the Eighth Campione." he gestured to Viletta. "This is my Knight and administrator Villetta Nu of the Whitengamont."

"A pleasure," Villetta nodded her head.

"And your lover apparently," Akeno giggled.

"Mistress to be exact," Villetta corrected, adjusting her glasses, speaking absolutely without shame.

"Private life is supposed to be _private!_ " Mike hissed, turning red again. Sighing, he looked to Rias, "I assume that you are of the same Gremory Family as the one mentioned in the Ars Goetia?"

"He was an ancestor, but yes I am of his line," Rias nodded. "With me are my Peerage. May I introduce my Queen, Akeno Himejima."

"Charmed."

"My Knight, Kiba Yuuto."

"An honor, your Majesty."

"My Rook, Koneko Tojou."

"...hello."

"And my adorable pawn, Issei Hyuudou.

"Hey... _lucky bum_ …"

"Nice to meet all of you," Mike nodded. "Well, Villetta explained to me the modern nature of the Three Factions and all that. So, I assume this meeting is just to get to know each other so we can make sure we don't have any misunderstandings about our purposes here."

"Exactly," Rias agreed, reaching for a cup of tea. "Although this is the first time I've been able to meet a Campione myself so there are a few questions I'd like to ask out of curiosity."

"Well, so long as they're not too personal I don't see why not," Mike shrugged. "Ask away."

"I got one!" Issei interrupted, raising his hand. "I keep hearing everyone else talking about what a big deal a Campione is, but no one's told me anything about them! What's the deal?"

Villetta adjusted her glasses again, casting a look at a sheepish Rias before speaking, "There is much debate over a proper definition over what a Campione truly is. However, everyone agrees the most suitable definition comes from the 19th century author Alberto Ricardo." Villetta composed herself before speaking.

" _Campione - Godslayer - Is a supreme ruler._

 _Since he can kill a celestial being, he can therefore call on the highly divine powers held by gods._

 _Campione - Godslayer - is a lord._

 _Since the power to kill a deity is in their hands, they can therefore dominate the mortals on Earth._

 _Campione - Godslayer - is a devil._

 _Therefore of the entire humanity living on Earth, those who have the power to oppose them do not exist!"_

A chill ran down the group's spine, setting for a very creepy mood with the lit candles which kept a dim lighting to the room. Issei was visibly shivering from the excerpt, feeling intimidation from it. The extremely horny boy shook his head to get back to the conversation, "That...that makes it sound like you killed a god or something."

"That's exactly what I did," Mike nodded. "I killed a Heretic God and in doing so, I was transformed into a Campione."

Issei blinked, "Eh?"

Villetta spoke up, "Heretic Gods are divine beings born from the belief and worship of humanity. They exist in the Domain of Immortality where the fulfill their roles to keep the world as we know it moving. However, now and then there are gods who will rebel against their legends and come to Earth. We label them as Heretic Gods. Their very presence causes chaos and disaster based off each of their powers, or Authorities just as they themselves are corrupted. For example, should Poseidon rebel, then Earth would be made victim of powerful tsunamis, tidal waves, and earthquakes."

"Woah," Issei gaped, seeing Koneko and Kiba nod like they knew such things all along.

"Normally, there is nothing that humans can do to stop this and will have to suffer or flee," Villetta continued. "However, in very rare cases, there is a human through some extraordinary chance manages to kill a Heretic God. This activates a ritual created by Pandora where the victor's body is reborn to take in the power of the Heretic God they killed. They become immune to all human magic unless it is somehow cast inside of their body, their strength becomes greater than that of any human, their magical power becomes immense, their lifespan can be counted into the centuries, they can feel the waves of magic power happening around them. They raise themselves on a pedestal which no mage can hope to achieve themselves. Most intimidating of all is that they can harness the power of the god they killed and use them for themselves."

Issei paled further before looking at Mike like he was looking at an alien.

Villetta pressed on, "So because of their incomparable might, all Campione are considered the kings of the places in which they call home. There is literally no earthly force which can stand up against them."

"And the Three Factions know better than to try and antagonize them," Rias added. "With their power, they can decimate us with ease for the most part. Our worshipped commanders would have to take command and even then there would be no guaranteed victory." She smiled at Mike, "Which does lead into my own question: Which Heretic God was it that you killed to get your powers?"

Mike scratched his head again and sighed, "King Solomon."

"Ara ara, him? My, I never would have guessed," Akeno commented.

"Who?" Issei blinked

"King Solomon of Israel," Kiba answered. "He was the son of David, the slayer of Goliath. He was believed to have been given great wisdom by God when he took the throne as a young man. He ruled Israel with great prosperity and was hailed as a prophet by the masses. He's mentioned and worshipped by many religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Muslims all over the world. Since Heretic Gods are born from belief, faith, and worship it doesn't surprise me to hear he became divinity."

"And a right jerk when he turned Heretic," Mike huffed. "Just appeared in London and began claiming all of the best looking women to become his concubines. Thanks to his Authority, he was doing it too."

"Wait, wait! You mean he was collecting…" Isseis voice turned to near worship. "... _A Harem?_ "

"It is one of the things he is traditionally known for in legend," Mike nodded. "A thousand wives and concubines at the least. Since people whispered that legend about him, it became part of his power."

Issei trembled at the thought, managing to get a whisper of awe, " _...my hero…_ "

"Pervert," Koneko frowned at the boy, but Issei was in too much of a trance to react.

"So, how did this even happen?" asked Rias, wanting to hear the details.

Mike glanced at Villetta who nodded, prompting the Campione to lean over and speak while grabbing a cookie, "Well, it began when I landed in London. I was on my way to Japan, but had wanted to take the long way to take in a few sights along the way. I was hanging out, taking a few pictures while I was waiting for my next flight to be announced…"

(LINE BREAK)

 **FLASHBACK - Heathrow Airport**

*CLICK*

Mike smiled, getting the shots of the London streets. Despite it being near a modern airport, a lot of the famous London architecture could be seen and appreciated. He only had a few hours to wait so he couldn't really go anywhere and see some of the really nice sights. It was a bit of a shame since he would have loved to see Big Ben or Buckingham Palace.

He was feeling a little nervous about going to a foreign country where likely there weren't going to be many people who spoke English. Still, he had been wanting to at least visit Japan for years now. Call him a geek, but the culture and people just stuck out for him and he really wanted to go see it for himself instead of just watch shows from there. A chance to go to school for at least one year was too good to pass up and being able to go to Kuoh Academy, one of the best and usually for the children if dignitaries made it all the better.

Lowering his camera, Mike looked around. His stomach was bothering him, insisting on being fed so he was on the lookout for someplace where he could eat. Hopefully the fare wouldn't be as bland as some of the stereotypes would have people believe.

Fortunately, there were a few restaurants inside the airport itself which he could grab something to eat. After swapping some money for Pounds, he set out and sat down at an appetizing place and quickly made his selection. Moments later, he was chowing down on Britain's own fish and chips. Soon he'd be full and checking out whatever the airport had for amusement while waiting for his-!

*SHOOM!*

Flight?

Mike stopped with the fish halfway to his mouth and looked around. It was like the entire area had suddenly been enveloped in a haze of some sort, giving everything a soft glow as if being illuminated by mist and light. The sky outside had turned an odd color of green, like a filter had come over everything to make the glowing effect around them. Coming with the sudden change of spectrum was an overhanging feeling of oppression, like some great force had just landed on Mike's shoulders, making him want to slump over.

"What?" he frowned, looking around. No one else seemed to know that anything had changed in their surroundings. In fact, no one seemed to even notice it. The feeling in the air, the haze which surrounded everything, no one seemed to be any wiser to it happening. How could anyone be missing all of the weirdness going on around them?

Then the light started, shining in from a ceiling window before crashing down on the tiled floor like a pillar. Mike shielded his eyes as he heard people beginning to scream and run. Obviously they were able to see the light, but it seemed that all of the other weird events just seemed to be going over their heads. The odd thing was, some people were crying about a bomb of some kind rather than a pillar of light.

Finally, the light seemed to die down, but in the centre of where the pillar had been, there was a man instead. He was adorned in robes, crimson and gold ones making him look like he could have been a king or noble from ancient days from perhaps the age of Rome or possibly earlier. His features were handsome with a set jaw a and a short brown beard. He had fair hair which just fell past his ears and touched his neck. A gold ring was adorned on his head, likely some kind of special ornament. He was handsome, having chiseled, manly features with bright eyes and a rich skin tone. The look on his face though, it gave Mike a bad feeling. While he wasn't adept at reading faces and he was a few feet away from the man, the look on his face was nothing but pure greed. That look only intensified when he gazed at some of the women in the room.

"Not good," Mike frowned, standing up. He knew he would need to run at some point, although at the creep or from him was still up for debate.

" **Ah, an excellent selection,** "the man grinned, observing many of the women in the terminal. His voice was powerful and it echoed, despite not having shouted and with the panic of people backing away and screaming in fear. His voice just drowned it all out. " **Now, which one of you shall be my newest concubines?** "

"Concubines?" Mike blinked. Did he step into some kind of porn scene or something?

"Wait!" a woman's voice spoke up, breaking the man from his lecherous stares. Coming through the crowd was another woman, this one with tanned skin, gray hair, and golden eyes. She was dressed in a women's business suit and had a briefcase with her. Out of everyone there, she alone seemed to recognize the man as what he was rather than interpreting it as something else.

" **Oh? What is this lovely flower I see?** " the man grinned, openly leering at the woman. She was shapely, but she wore her suit professionally, only showing her curves, but absolutely no skin. " **And you can see me? You must be a magician to be capable of that.** "

"Magician?" Mike frowned, now feeling very out of the loop. What the hell was going on?

"Great Lord," the woman bowed her head in a sign of respect. If she was nervous, she certainly didn't show it. "Why have you chosen to descend here of all places? Surely someone of your majesty could be more comfortable manifesting elsewhere?"

( **HALT FLASHBACK)**

"Ara ara, you tried to reason with a Heretic God, Nu-san?" Akeno smiled. "My, you are very brave indeed."

"Most befitting for a knight," Kiba praised.

"Thank you," Villetta gave a nod and a light smile. "A Heretic God manifesting in the middle of an airport of all places was certainly a worst case scenario. So as a member of the Whitengamont I had to at least try to mitigate the damage."

"Yeah, but in typical Heretic god fashion he wasn't going to listen to anyone but himself," Mike frowned, recalling what happened next.

 **(CONTINUE FLASHBACK)**

The man smirked, as if he was dealing with a child who was attempting to fool him with a tall tale, " **I came here because I seek more concubines and here is a large collection of people from many lands. I will not hide my majesty to make the rabble more comfortable. It shall only make it easier to collect what I desire.** "

"C-con…" the woman sputtered, but then shook her head. "But think of the chaos you would create, the chaos you have already created!"

" **Bah, the mortals will soon forget after I leave,** " the man waved off the woman's concerns. Rubbing his chin, he openly leered at her. This time, Mike could see her cringe a little. " **Now then, you certainly seem to be a rare type of woman. I would most certainly like to add you to my concubines.** "

The woman flinched, losing her nerve slightly at the look, "I...I am spoken for!"

" **I think NOT!** " the man laughed before his body flashed gold and a pulse seemed to travel away from him.

Mike flinched when the wave reached him and he shielded himself, but it instead harmlessly passed over him. He blinked, feeling nothing happen to him. Lowering his hands, he tried to see what was going on only to stand up, ready to run when he heard movement. Turning around, he blinked when he saw the cashier girl step out from her hiding place behind the restaurant's counter with a dazed look on her face before she walked over towards the man.

In fact, many women got up from their hiding places, all of them beautiful, busty, slender, or any other description which made a woman beautiful. They all just seemed to forget that anything wrong was going on and went to congregate on the glowing man's position. Not even the tanned woman trying to talk to him was immune as she gained a glazed look of adoration on her features.

" **Ah, such a fine selection,** " the man grinned, admiring the bevy of beauties surrounding him. He turned to the tanned woman once again, reaching out to tilt her chin up so he could properly see her face. " **Now then, why don't you first show me your adoration my brave and lovely flower?** "

"Of course, my king," the woman breathed, sounding like she was utterly in love with the man. She dropped her briefcase before she reached and unbuttoned her jacket. Tossing the garment aside and then promptly did the same with her blouse, revealing a gifted chest tamed by a simple white lace bra.

" **Hmm, very nice, although your taste in undergarments is suitable, we can do much better,** " the man grinned, running his hands up her body before firmly pressing her breasts.

That was all Mike could take.

"HEY!" he shouted, running towards the scene, coming to a stop next to a gift kiosk. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?!"

" **Hm?** " the man looked up from his molestation of the white-haired woman before frowning at Mike. " **I am giving affection to my newest concubine. Is that not plain to see?** "

"More like molesting her after using some kind of powers on her!" Mike snapped back. "Now let them go!"

" **They adore me and welcome my affections you ignorant whelp!** " the man laughed. " **After all, what woman does not come to love one such as I, King Solomon?** "

"King of pervs is more like it!" Mike growled.

" **I will cut your tongue out for that, but later,** " Solomon frowned, turning back to his target. He obviously didn't consider Mike more of anything than a minor annoyance. " **Be thankful for this mercy. Perhaps when I am done with my new concubines I will be in a forgiving mood and not hunt you down.** "

"More like done raping them!" Mike shouted, but Solomon ignored him and went back to molesting the woman, making her moan in pleasure like something out of a porno. Snarling, Mike looked around and noticed a bunch of cheap snowglobes for sale. Grabbing one, Mike abandoned logic for righteous rage and threw the trinket straight at the greedy Solomon. The man was so occupied with his target's breasts and cleavage, he didn't move and the object smashed against the back of his head.

*CRASH!*

The snowglobe obviously broke, spilling its waters and sparkles along with broken glass down Solomon's back while the base clattered to the floor. Solomons topped his molestation, stopped moving entirely.

"I said don't touch them!" Mike shouted out.

Solomon didn't move, but eventually he did speak, " **…you must be tired of living, Boy.** " He lifted his hand, glaring over his shoulder before snapping his fingers.

*SHUNK!*

Mike stiffened as his right shoulder seemed to explode in blood with a golden spear ripping through his flesh from behind. He didn't move, the pain not even registering before he glanced over to see what had hit him. His eyes widened when he saw that the floor behind him had cracked open to allow the spear to burst forth.

Solomon didn't stop there, snapping his fingers again.

*SHUNK! SHUNK! SHUNK! SHUNK!"

Four more golden spears burst from the ground, impaling the teenager from behind before bursting out of his chest. One came out near his collarbone, another through his lung, one scraped his spine and came out from his stomach, and the last one took out a kidney. Mike gagged, unable to even scream as a blast of blood spurted from his mouth, splattering across the polished white floor. He was pinned like a bug, despite his feet being flat on the ground. He was simply unable to move thanks to the angle the spears came out of the ground, they supported him despite his eageress to simply fall. Blood trailed down his chest and pants, making for a macabre image which, if the ordinary people could see it, would have made for many nightmares.

" **There, now that the distraction is out of the way,** " Solomon huffed, returning his attention to his current conquest. " **Shall we continue?** "

"Yes," the woman beamed, unzipping her skirt to reveal her garter belt and white panties. Solomon grinned in pleasure, toying with the edge of said panties, watching as she shivered in pleasure.

It was often said that at the moment one was about to die, they suddenly realized what was truly important to them. Mike was no different as the shadow of death loomed in closer to claim him. His previous thoughts of school, girls, Japan, and other things which seemed so important at first just slipped away. Even thoughts of his family and friends back in Canada had slipped away. All that remained was one wish, one desire which filled his entire being that he refused to let go despite the grim reaper's looming presence.

KILL THE RAPIST! SAVE THE WOMEN!

Gritting his bloodied teeth, Mike reached behind his back and grabbed the first of the five spears coming into his back and pulled. It should have hurt, blindingly so, but Mike's mind was shutting down so it didn't matter anymore. He pulled, trying to get the spear out of him, but instead he felt the ground give way and the spear loosen. Satisfied, he did it it with the other spears, freeing them all. He still looked like a human pincushion, but he was now a _mobile_ human pincushion.

Mike stumbled across the distance between himself and Solomon. The so-called king was too distracted by teasing his target's body, making her moan in delight at her own violation. Even with the ends of the spears dragging across the floor with trails of blood the man didn't seem to notice him. Finally, Mike reached Solomon just as the man was prepared to pull down the woman's panties. With bloodied hands, he reached up and grabbed Solomon's sides.

" **Not now my dear, I'll get to you eventually,** " Solomon chuckled, thinking it was one of the other women who had grabbed him.

"You won't get that chance," Mike gurgled, blood spilling from his lips.

" **Huh?** "

It was all Solomon was able to do before Mike wrapped his arms around the pervert and pulled himself flush against his back. With the spears still sticking out of Mike's body, Solomon was likewise pierced by his own weapons in the same positions.

" **GAHHHHH!** "

Solomon screamed in pain, ichor leaking through the front of his robes. He thrashed against the spears, trying to pull Mike off of him but the teenager remained steadfast. The spun, knocking the women back as the shafts of the weapons collided with their sides, arms and legs.

" **LET ME GO YOU LITTLE WORM!** " Solomon bellowed, ichor trailing down from his lips as the internal damage began to catch up with him.

"Sorry," Mike coughed, splattering blood on Solomon's shoulder. "But if I go down….I'M TAKING YOU WITH ME!" Mike pulled back slightly, removing the spears from Solomon's body. The king didn't get a chance to escape or push Mike back before the impaled teenager thrust into his back again, this time at a different angle to tear open new wounds.

This time in Solomon's heart.

" **GUUH!** " The king choked out, more ichor dribbling from his mouth. This time, he didn't struggle, he didn't thrash. Instead, death came quickly for him and he collapsed in a heap, Mike impaled on top of him. He didn't remain there long, his body beginning to shine with golden light that drifted away like cotton in the wind. Solomon's body slowly vanished, gently placing the impaled Mike on the ground. He grunted as the spears were shifted by the displacement, but they too slowly disappeared like their master. Mike was gently deposited on the floor as the last of the energy which made up the spears vanished, a pleased smile on his face.

His soul felt warm, even if his body felt deathly cold. The pain of the spears was gone, even if he was bleeding out from the wounds. Despite how his body seemed to be shutting down, he felt very good for being able to rescue the intended victims of the perverted king. Yes, he killed someone but he did it to protect the lives of others. Maybe Saint Peter would give him a pass on that?

His body shifted and Mike grunted again. He was rolled over and he felt himself being propped up. It took a moment for his eyes to focus, but he found that he was in the arms of the tanned woman who the perv was stripping. Her eyes were sharp again and she looked deeply concerned. She had her blouse on again, albeit unbuttoned. What feeling remained in his body told him that her skirt was back and her bra-clad breast was pressed up against his neck. Bonus if there ever was one.

Still, Mike had to speak, he had to be sure, "Are...are you...o-okay?"

"Yes," the woman whispered. "Yes, I'm fine. A little humiliated, but I am fine."

"Good. G-good," Mike sighed, coughing as more blood entered his throat. "Could...couldn't…. let the...the perv do...that….stuff...to you."

"Yes. Thank you for protecting me," the woman nodded, a sad smile on her lips. "I will never forget it."

"...kay…" Mike mumbled, feeling drowsy. "Gonna...gonna nap...now."

"Then sleep," the woman smiled. Then amazingly she leaned down and kissed Mike's forehead. "I will be here when you wake up."

"...kay…" Mike smiled, not even having the blood in him to blush.

And then he died.

( **END FLASHBACK)**

"That is so romantic!" Rias gushed, delighted at the story.

"I think so too," Villetta smiled, obviously having fun as Mike blushed slightly at his encounter with Solomon being considered romantic.

"Dozens of girls all stripping like that...so awesome…" Issei gushed, blood leaking from his nose before Koneko slapped him upside the head. "Ow!"

"Pervert," Koneko spoke before turning to the cookies.

"I'm shocked that a figure like King Solomon would be so...vulgar," Kiba commented, looking a little uncomfortable.

Mike nodded, "Yeah, what I heard of the man doesn't match with what I saw. You have to remember though, Heretic Gods are influenced by human belief and perception while in the Domain of Immortality. This wasn't the King Solomon of history. This was the deity born from people's perception and faith in him. Back in the day, having dozens of wives and concubines wasn't considered to be a bad thing so people were more impressed by his wisdom and other abilities. In modern times though, that interpretation changed."

"I see," Akeno nodded. "These days, having a harem and collecting so many women is a sign of overindulgence, degeneration of propriety, and sinful lust. Solomon is noted for his downfall by worshipping other deities besides the Almighty One, but the common man may pay more attention to his lustful pursuits and see that as part of his downfall, thus influencing the Heretic God."

"And when Gods become Heretic Gods, they are further corrupted by the rebellion against their own legends, making them act in ways they usually would not or amplifying their bad traits, if their legends state that they have any." Villetta added. "And certainly King Solomon had a few."

"So what happened next?" asked Rias with a smile. "When did you and Nu-san get together?"

"Ah," Mike blushed.

"He's so shy," Villetta chuckled. "It happened like this…"

 **To Be Continued…**

 **A/N: Okay, here's my forray into the world of Campione and mixed with High School DxD. I'm a little worried about using King Solomon in such a way because current religions as far as I know do hold him to a prominent place in their mythos. I don't intend to offend anyone with this image of him, which is why I added the description of how the Heretic God version of him was corrupted by his own rebellion and many modern beliefs. That, and this image wasn't THE King Solomon from history, but another born from the collective consciousness of humanity. I repeat, the Solomon from this story is not to be regarded as the one who the world knows in the world history.**


	2. Defining Space

**I do not own High School DxD, Code Geass, or Campione! I am only writng this for fun and for no other reason. If you don't like it then please go and find something more suitable to your tastes because I will not change my stories to try and please everyone. For those of you willing to continue, I hope you all enjoy.**

 **God Slayer DxD**

 **By Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Chapter 2: Defining Space**

 **Flashback: After Mike killed the Heretic God, King Solomon**

Mike shifted as he felt himself floating on air. Was he dead? He felt like he wasn't, but if he wasn't then why didn't he feel the pain of having five spears lodged through his body. Was modern medical science even able to help someone recover from something like that? He kind hoped that it could since he didn't feel like dying, even if he went down with a smile on his face.

A soft giggle echoed through the air, making him feel warm, "My my, what a good son I've become mother to. Risking his life to protect women in need, but so savagely bringing down the one who was committing such vile acts."

"Mn," Mike tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come to him. He felt so tired.

"Your heart showed its true colors when that naughty Solomon began his indulgence. Any mother would be proud to know they have a son like you!" the female voice praised, warmth and affection deep in her voice. "And a woman always enjoys knowing she has a good man who will protect her."

Mike sighed, relaxing. Well, if he couldn't talk then he couldn't talk. At least the company was nice.

"I look forward to seeing what such a gentleman will do in the world as my son," the woman giggled again. Mike could hear her take a deep breath before she spoke in a new tone, one full of command and Authority, " **By the black art that I and Epimetheus left behind this is the sacred birth of an illegitimate child, shrouded in darkness, born of a witch and fool. A secret of usurpation only made possible through the sacrifice of a god.** "

Mike felt quite suddenly a core of heat enter his body, starting from his chest and rippling out to the extremities. It felt like the heat wasn't coming from him, but becoming part of him. Where the heat went, he felt like he was becoming brand new. Something more came with the heat, something powerful...something...more.

" **I, the all-giving woman Pandora declare that you shall be reborn as a Campione. The godslayer, the king of kings, the Campione!** "

Mike felt a kiss on his forehead and then...nothing.

(LINE BREAK)

Mike groaned and rubbed his eyes, feeling more tired than anything else. Reaching up, he rubbed his eyes. After a few moments to just allow his mind to reset, his eyes bulged as his last memories returned. With a gasp, he sat up and began patting his chest. Looking down, he realized that he was shirtless. That suited him well, since it allowed him to check his torso for the holes which he was sure that the spears which impaled him had left behind. What he found though was unblemished flesh and certainly no bloody holes made by golden spears.

"What…?" Mike frowned, looking at himself but then realized he was shirtless and not where he remembered being. Looking around, he found himself n what looked like a penthouse room for likely a really expensive hotel. Lavish decorations, expensive art, and even a canopy bed were all visible, especially since he was _in_ the canopy bed.

"Where the heck am I?" he blinked. Frowning as he realized something, he peeked under the sheets which caused his face to turn red. "And why don't I have pants on?!"

A click echoed from the door and it opened, prompting Mike to look to see who was entering. To his horror, it was the tanned woman from the airport which he recalled Solomon wanting to take advantage of. She entered as calm as could be, fortunately with her clothes fixed.

"My Lord? Are you awake? I heard talking," she spoke, entering completely to see Mike sitting up in the bed. "Ah, splendid. You're awake."

"Ah!" Mike cried, pulling the covers up to hide himself. "Don't look! I'm naked here!"

"My Lord, I am a knight. A little nudity is hardly the worst thing I have ever seen and you are far from an unattractive specimen," the woman replied, walking towards his bed, making Mike's face turn even more crimson as she got closer. She seated herself at the side of the bed and felt his forehead. "How do you feel? Are you uncomfortable? In pain? Queasy? Anything?"

"N-Nothing medical," Mike flushed. In that regard, he'd never felt better before. "But...I've got a beautiful woman next to me in a room somewhere I don't know and I'm naked!"

"Thank you for the compliment My Lord," the woman beamed. She stood up and flattened her skirt. "There is a full wardrobe for you in the closet provided by the Whitengamont. Please take your time and I shall explain everything to you in the living room."

The woman then walked from the room, leaving Mike alone and feeling more than a little confused. Still, not wanting to be naked near someone he didn't know, he all but dashed for the closet. Inside was a number of outfits he knew didn't belong to him. With his suitcase gone though, he didn't have much choice. After a quick check, he grabbed a set of jeans and a white button up shirt complete with a belt and polished black shoes in his size.

He stepped out into the main living space of the hotel room, finding the woman walking to the dining table with a very expensive-looking tea set, complete with hot tea ready to be served. Mike steeled himself and approached the table as the woman poured a pair of cups for them to enjoy.

"Ah, good. You're dressed," she smiled, setting down the teapot. She approached him, but remained at a respectable distance and stood up straight.

"Yeah," Mike sighed. "So...care to tell me who you are? Where we are? For that matter, what happened at the airport?"

"In that order, my name is Viletta Nu, knight of the Whitengamont," the woman introduced. "We are currently on the top floor of the Hilton Hotel in London, and what occurred at the airport was a Heretic God manifesting in rebellion for his legend."

Mike frowned, understanding at least part of what he was told. Apparently he was under the care of Villetta Nu, an apparent knight, and they were in a very nice hotel. The other parts, the ones pertaining to Heretic Gods and a Whitengamont went right over his head.

Mike blinked, but then massaged the bridge of his nose. "Okay, you're going to have to explain this to me. First, what is the Whitengamont and then you can explain what Heretic God is supposed to mean."

"Very well. Would you like to sit?" Villetta gestured to the chairs and Mike took a seat across from the beautiful knight.

Villetta explained that the Whitengamont was an organization established to research, administer, and organize the magic users of the British Empire and Europe. Magic was a force which was kept secret from the world at large, considering the strife and conflict which was caused by religion and magic coming into contact in the past. The monarchy was aware of their existence and they answered directly to the queen as their highest authority. Mike was very willing to believe her considering the things he had seen up until that particular point.

Talking about magic eventually lead to what Heretic Gods were. They were deities who rebelled against their legends after mankind began believing in different interpretations or stories about them. They came to earth, causing chaos just by standing there, never mind the transformation into Heretic God corrupted them through their particular vices. Solomon was a particularly good example of that. He was depicted as a very wise and wealthy king whose only real vice was beginning to worship pagan deities when he was supposed to follow Jehovah. As a Heretic God in the airport, his vice of lust quickly grew out of control thanks to turning heretic as well as modern beliefs in morals and such changing many people's views on his actions.

That explanation in turn went into what exactly Mike had become: Campione. A human through sheer luck or incredible skill managed to do the impossible and bring down a god. But there was more than just prestige to it, but included taking command of the Authorities of the gods, the power which allowed them to be divinity. He got a bunch of other perks along with the raw power of the gods, which included an incredibly durable body, immense magical reserves, and even the ability to negate mortal magic he touched, and even become harder for divine magic to affect. In fact, in terms of magic and raw power, no one on earth but a Heretic God or another Campione could take him on and hope to win. Because of that, the general policy when dealing with a Campione was do whatever they say and hope it made them happy.

Mike couldn't help but openly gape at what Villetta had told him, "So...I'm an uncontested king and generally everyone in the know about magic and probably governments will kowtow to anything I say just to make sure I don't go destroying cities in retaliation?"

"It has happened before," Villetta nodded. "Pompeii is an excellent example of that."

"I thought Pompeii was destroyed by a volcano," Mike frowned.

"No. That was the cover," the knight shook her head. "The local magical society attempted to subdue a Campione so to control his power and he retaliated with one of his Authorities, burying the city in magma."

"Woah," Mike paled. "So...I mean...wow...uh…"

"Yes," Villetta agreed. "It is quite shocking. If you wish, I can do my best to assist you in helping determining your Authorities."

Mike gulped, but looked to the female knight with a bit of hope, "Really? Aren't you afraid of what I could do?"

"A little," Villetta nodded. "The great earthquake of Damghan in 856 was caused by a Campione who didn't know how to use his Authorities. The entire city was destroyed. Since then it's been an unspoken rule for any mage or organization who discovers a new Campione to help them understand what they are and what they are capable of."

"But to do this by yourself when you've probably got dedicated scholars to the subject," Mike spoke up. As Viletta explained herself and he had a moment to calm down, he suddenly realized there were connections he hadn't noticed. If the Whitengamont was such a large organization, they probably had protocols for dealing with Campione. Villetta was a knight by her own admission and likely not part of the political scene. She was breaking those protocols by talking to him herself, even if there likely were unusual circumstances.

Villetta looked down slightly but nodded, "I...technically should have called in reinforcements to help like I did after Solomon was slain. But...I had hoped to speak to you personally without distractions. It was my hope with just one person and in a calm environment, it would make understanding your position somewhat easier to accept."

Mike looked to her face and noticed she looked embarrassed, like she'd committed a rude gesture to someone in public and had gotten caught doing it, "You want to ask me something important to you, something a Campione can give."

Villetta frowned, but nodded again, "I...I hoped to ask you if I could become your personal knight."

Mike stopped, his thoughts brought up short at the shy admission, "Um...why?"

Villetta sighed and looked like she wished to say something else, but stopped herself, "I...I will not lie. First and foremost you rescued me from a fate likely worse than death, to be the loving pleasure slave of a Heretic God. As a knight, I cannot forget that kind of act done for me or the debt it places on me to you."

"And as a knight, you must honor all debts," Mike commented.

"Yes," Villetta nodded. "Secondly, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. Although many fear a Campione, anyone who serves them is automatically considered the best of the best, nobility in their own right. I...I wish to gain a noble title by becoming part of your service. Such titles mean a lot in magical circles and it has been a goal of mine since I joined the Whitengamont."

"But isn't the title of knight a noble title?" asked Mike, his mind shooting off on tangents for the situation.

"Only for one generation," Viletta shook her head. "If I was in it for myself, that would be fine. But having grown up poor and having to work for everything, I don't want my relatives or future generations of my family to go through that. Having a noble title such as baroness would ensure a better future for all of them."

"And being the personal knight of a Campione would be the same thing?" asked Mike.

"Indeed. Luo Hao, the Campione of China shows immense favor to the family of her first apprentice, taking each generation and training them. All magical societies there treat their names as a noble title," Viletta explained. "Many magical families inside and out of magical groups struggle to earn the favor if their lands become those of a Campione, granting them a noble lineage through the ranks."

"And you hope I can do that for you," Mike nodded. He could tell Villetta wasn't lying so she wasn't blatantly trying to use him, just hoping he'd favor her for advancement.

Viletta nodded, but continued, "Lastly, and maybe the only reason I'm even asking all this of you, is that I believe you are a good man, one who people will benefit of having as their king and protector. I can trust my request to you and not be destroyed for asking such a thing."

Mike leaned back in his chair, rubbing his head. He should have been freaking out, becoming a king who no one in the world would have the stupidity to mess with. He could harness the powers of the gods to fight, and would likely have to if Heretic Gods considered him such a powerful enemy. Add to the fact he'd outlive everyone he knew by centuries and was effectively unbreakable by mundane means and he would normally be fit to puke in the midst of his panic.

Despite that, he managed to keep calm. He was able to see the big picture in everything and keep calm. He had to fight Heretic Gods? He'd fight and he was confident he could. He just needed to know who he was fighting. Extended lifespan? With good friends and support, he could keep his good humor and find contentment, if not happiness. Something like that was always achievable so long as one didn't drown in their sorrows. His new station? He didn't need it now, but it was good to know if he had an emergency he'd have the ultimate trump card. Unbreakable body? Well, now he could feel more confident trying extreme sports.

With this knight thing though… "Villetta Nu." The woman sat at attention, "Since you were honest with me and are offering to help me get used to my new Authorities, I only have one more question before I give you an answer."

"Then please ask," Villetta nodded. "I will answer to the best of my ability."

Mike steeled himself, "More than my knight, can I trust you as my friend, my comrade, someone who I can turn to when I feel the pressure and can trust to help me if things get rough instead of abandoning me, thinking I'll be fine since I'm a Campione?"

Villetta's eyes widened at the question, but she then relaxed to smile softly at him, "I think I have already answered that much. After all, even if you did help me in such a situation, I do not give kisses to just anyone. I see you as more than simply a superior, but someone I can trust to aid me and help me shoulder my burdens when they become too much, someone who I can relax around and share my concerns with. I will be that friend and more should you ever need me to be, My Lord."

MIke smiled, hearing her sincere willingness to be more than his servant, but someone he could trust. Whatever was keeping him calm could also alert him to the signs of her honesty. She was relaxed, holding eye contact, not fidgeting, but not over embellishing the promise. She was respectfully casual, which was a big indicator that she was telling the truth. Of course, hearing she felt he was the kind of person who could earn a kiss from her was quite flattering as well. Despite the situation, Villetta's beauty wasn't lost on him.

Thinking about that, and the affection she granted him, Mike was suddenly assaulted with a vision. He closed his eyes and frowned, feeling a small migraine come with it. The image came in the form of a large woven tapestry, roughly the size of a landscape portrait, frame and all. What it depicted was a man on the throne who seemed wise and experienced despite his youthful appearance. Before him, lounging on thrones were numerous women, all adoring and loving but at the same time dignified and proper despite obviously being concubines. Around them was the wealth of the ancient world, golden weapons, fine carvings of stone, incredible artwork. It was a throne room fit for a king, and a mighty and wise king the tapestry had come from.

"My Lord? What is the matter?" asked Villetta, standing up from her chair to approach Mike.

MIke frowned, the migraine becoming stronger, I...I think...one of my Authorities is activating. Like...like...qualifications for it are fulfilled or something and it wants to activate on its own."

"I...I see," Villetta nodded, "Since this is not a hostile situation, it is likely not a violent Authority. Do not hesitate to use it then. You must be accepting of your Authorities or else you may never master them and you cannot afford that."

"Right," Mike nodded. "Stand back then, just in case." Viletta did just that as Mike stood up, planting his hands on the table to be ready for anything. Concentrating on the sensation, the tapestry in his mind started losing its color until only the women depicted remained in their brightly coloured finery and regal relaxation.

And like an instinct, Mike began to speak, " _Ye woman of beauty, intellect, and charm, I reach out my hand to you. I shall take you as my mistress to protect and to please. I shall accept your devotion, your adoration, and your subservience. Be reborn as my mistress!_ "

As the words were spoken a glow came from Mike's body, but then his body began moving on automaic. He stood up from his chair and walked towards Villetta before he promptly took her into his arms and kissed her passionately on the lips. The woman gasped and struggled slightly, but the golden glow then spread to her which caused her to moan and instead begin returning the gesture with passion. When the glow stopped for Mike, but didn't stop on Viletta, he suddenly realized he had done something to her, making him think, ' _Oh shit._ '

On her part, Viletta was in rapture. The minor affection she felt towards the new Campione as her rescuer and as obviously a decent young man for how he risked himself for her sake seemed to suddenly explode. She suddenly saw him as the man he could become, the man he would become if he had a good, honest woman serving as his knight...no, as his mistress! His lover! His queen! Yes, she could see herself easily spending the rest of her life with a good man like the young Campione. Furthermore, she could feel his emotions and thoughts about her. He found her beautiful, sexy even though she wasn't even trying. He saw her as honourable, honest, and someone he could trust with his new situation.

Yes, yes, yes! She could be all that and more! She would be her Lord's confidant in every way!

Breaking out from her thoughts as the golden glow died, Villetta could not hold back. She broke the kiss for only a moment to catch her breath before she went right back, ignoring Mike's stuttering attempt at an apology. Relatively the same height, she leaned in and captured his lips with hers, using every ounce of passion she could muster. When he gasped in shock, she took the chance to worm her tongue into his mouth to gently wrestle his.

Although shocked and confused, Mike had to wonder if the adult woman kissing him was what fine wine tasted like.

( **END FLASHBACK)**

 **Occult Research Club Room**

" _ **Harem of the King**_ , an Authority which allows Lord Summers to recruit women who hold any amount of affection either for him, or received by him into his network of mistresses to support him in his endeavours," Villetta explained professionally.

"It's a perverted and wrong Authority to have," Mike blushed brightly. "We're lucky so long as the affection is real it's only amplified. Otherwise I'd had ended it as soon as possible."

"Then we are indeed lucky my affections are real, otherwise I may not have my Honoured King and you would not have me to serve you," Villetta smiled. Obviously the argument was an old one the couple would have, and Villetta would win it every time.

"Oh, how naughty," Akeno giggled, squirming from her seat. Obviously she found the idea delicious from how she was trying not to rub her thighs together.

"Perverted," Koneko commented blandly.

"No kidding. That's why I'm never going to use it again," Mike sighed.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Issei cried, openly gaping. "You mean to say that you have the power to collect a harem... _and you're not even going to use it?!_ " Issei just looked at Mike like he was a traitor at the highest level. He then leaped up and jabbed a finger at the Campione. "YOU FOOL! DON'T YOU DARE WASTE THAT GIFT! YOU'RE ON THE VERGE OF LIVING THE MALE FANTASY!"

"Like I care, perv," Mike frowned. "One woman is enough for me and some days I'm still not sure if Villetta's feelings are hers and not made by that Authority."

"Despite numerous reassurances," Villetta sighed with a hand on her cheek as if mournful. "Teenage boys can be so insecure."

"Ah, ha ha ha," Kiba laughed awkwardly. It made him wonder if he as the one who was truly different from other boys his age instead of Issei considering the way the conversation was going.

"But think of the oppai!" Issei cried out. "A never ending field of oppai could be yours with this power! Do you not call yourself a man? How can you remain unmoved by a sight like that?!"

Mike blinked at the resident pervert, "...there's something wrong with you isn't there?"

"No! There's something wrong with _you!_ Don't you have any hormones at all?!" Issei snapped back, still outraged.

"Issei…" Rias sighed.

"Oh he does, but he just gets to exercise them," Villetta spoke up with a grin. "With me."

"VILLETTA!" Mike cried out, beet red.

"YOU BASTARD!" Issei cried out, his outrage growing. "To say you never will collect a harem and right here you've got the definition of hot secretary willing to do anything you want and even offering to help make that harem for you!"

Mike groaned and rubbed his face, "That's it, I'm not talking about this anymore. I'm humiliated enough as it is," sighing he pointedly ignored Issei so he could talk to Rias, "So, what's the deal with that Fallen Angel? I thought the factions were in a truce."

"They are, but that doesn't stop members from all sides from making trouble now and then," Rias answered, Issei fuming for being ignored in the background. "In this case, he and his allies tried to kill Issei for the Sacred Gear inside of him."

"A Sacred Gear?" Mike asked, not knowing the term.

Viletta quickly stepped up to explain, "Sacred Gears are powerful relics which we believe the ruler of Paradiso created and then implanted into select people. The relics are constantly born inside of people after the previous wielder dies. Most extraordinary people in history had one, even if they didn't activate it. Issei's must be particularly potent if the Fallen would consider him a threat with it."

"Hey!" Issei cried out.

"Exactly," Rias nodded. "Sacred Gears are coveted by all three factions so its always a race to collect the users or render them not a threat."

"Which Dohnaseek obviously tried to do for the Fallen," Mike nodded. "But it does beg the question if the Fallen leader knows this is going on. From your name, I'd say you're a prominent figure in Inferno politics. Am I wrong?"

"More or less," Rias nodded gracefully.

"Then any kind of incursion into your territory would bring some hefty consequences, possibly even spark conflicts all over again," Mike frowned. "Unless leadership of the factions changed, I doubt whoever is leading the Fallen would want to spark them off again without one hell of a good reason. Attempting to kill one of your servants so blatantly could easily blow things out of control."

"Very astute," Rias agreed. "You seem to have gotten some of Solomon's wisdom along with his talent with women."

MIke flushed, "Yeah...anyway, with all this going on it might be safe to say that we may be dealing with one of three things. A band of upstarts who think they're hot shit, a special ops group with a secret mission…"

"Hmm, possibly the first, and they were too sloppy and arrogant to be the second," Rias commented.

"Or we have the third, a splinter group who _wants_ conflicts to start up again for whatever reason and are trying to collect or neutralize special resources," Mike finished. "Starting with Sacred Gear users."

Rias frowned, rubbing her chin. "That...might be possible. From what I know, Azazel may be odd but to my knowledge he is not a warmonger. He's a scientist. Unless he's sure of getting something out of whatever he does then he doesn't do it. War isn't going to help anyone unless he's sure he can win and all three factions are just too weakened from the last conflicts to put up much of a fight."

"Which means someone in his faction may be aiming for his spot, using botched operations like this to discredit him, or be trying to collect resources needed to get the war going again, this time so the Fallen can win," Mike frowned. "Paranoid thinking perhaps, but as a Campione I have to at least consider the idea since we're dealing with the supernatural."

"Too true," Rias agreed. "You've given me a lot to think about. And here I thought we would negotiate at least peace but instead we seem to have become friends."

"Hey, I'd rather have more friends than enemies any day," Mike grinned, causing Rias to chuckle along with him.

"Don't you even _think_ about adding Rias to your harem," Issei threatened under his breath, somehow creeping up behind Mike's seat to whisper harshly at him. Mike just huffed and pushed the pervert's face away, making him growl back.

"Now now Issei, be nice to the Godslayer or else he'll smite you," Akeno tittered at the antics between the two.

" _Anyway!_ " Mike pushed Issei back, making him drop to his butt. "I'll definitely keep an eye out for more Fallen in case they try anything. Considering I'm a Campione and they're partial divinity they'll be gunning for me too. Apparently Gods and Godslayers don't exactly have a good rep with each other."

"I can't imagine why," Rias teased, taking a sip of her tea.

(LINE BREAK)

 **Abandoned Church**

The basement of the Fallen's base was a dingy, intimidating place at best. Still, it had arcane power to it, being a place of worship. In the main antechamber, the four Fallen Angels were hard at work, standing at the cardinal points around an elaborate magic circle. Numerous human priests were circled in the shadows, adding chants to boost the effectiveness of the ritual. No one dared move, no one dared lapse for a moment in their concentration.

They could not afford a mistake when trying to summon a Heretic God.

Normally an attempt to forcibly summon a Heretic God would require a massive setup and the sacrifice of numerous humans in order to work. Fortunately, the Fallen Angels had a bit of an advantage. Being holders of divine power themselves, albeit corrupted, they had the power and the know-how in order to make such a ritual without making it one big production. So they could afford to make the ritual smaller and without the reckless sacrifice of their minions.

Raynare led the others, speaking the language of Paradiso. It was beautiful, like listening to music, but the harsh edge she spoke with made it intimidating and cruel. Still, the magic was working and the array lit up with arcane power, reaching to the Domain of Immortality, beyond any physical realm, the home of the gods themselves.

And they got their answer.

The circle flared with light, blinding the priests in the room before the sounds of cracking echoed, promptly followed by an explosion. The stone floor was torn asunder and dirt and dust flew in all directions, forcing the priests to take cover lest they get dealt some bad injuries from the rubble. As the cloud of dust began to die down, the priests dared to look and pany gasped at the sight. Some cringed at the thought of facing a pagan god, but they knew better than to speak out over it.

Standing in the middle of the room was a new figure, one that while human-shaped, was most definitely not human. He stood strong and proud, wearing black pants which had silver armored greaves and thigh armor. He wore a red jacket with red trim and silver buckles, but the front was opened to revealed his barred bare chest which was marked with a glowing green insignia which nearly enveloped his front. Silver pauldrons rested on his shoulders while silver gauntlets adorned his hands. On his back was a longsword with a silver cross on the front encased in a silver ornamented black sheath. His face was handsome, albeit cold with nearly glowing green eyes. His hair was silver, but somewhat wild and hung slightly past his shoulders.

"Welcome, Hero God Siegfried," Raynare smiled, trying to hide the tiredness she and her comrades were feeling at conduction such a ritual.

Siegfried frowned at the Fallen, staring at her with distaste, " **Why have you summoned me, Fallen Angel? Why should I not cut you down where you stand for your heresy and insults?** "

"I shall tell you," Raynare explained. "For as much as you hate our kind, there are ones you no doubt hate more. No doubt you hate that Campione, Sasha Dejanstahl Voban for summoning you just so he could kill you for your power, like meat thrown to the wolves. Then you no doubt hate the Campione who killed you in the first place, Salvatore Doni."

Siegfried's scowl tightened further, " **You dare rub those incidents in my face and-?!** "

"Peace, Siegfried," Raynare spoke calmly. "I am merely pointing out a fact. One which you now have the opportunity to remedy now that we have broken you free from your legends. Surely the unnaturalness of the Campione outweighs the sin we Fallen Angels represent in your mind."

Siegfried's face was still set in a stony scowl, but thoughtfulness likewise entered his features, " **This is true. But why have you summoned me? Surely it was not in the goodness of your own hearts.** "

"No," Raynare shook her head, "For you see, there is an eighth Campione now, one who for the moment resides in this very city. We ask that you...deal with him for us before you go on your way to enact justice for the insults his siblings dealt to you."

" **Hm,** " Siegfried frowned. One could see the wheels turning in his head. Obviously he had no love for the Fallen Angels, but he clearly saw the Campione as a greater sin that had to be addressed first. " **Very well. But remember Fallen Ones, when the bastard children of Pandora are eliminated I shall return for the rest of you.** "

"Defeat this Campione first and you will never see us again," Raynare smiled sweetly, but the ever constant malice in her eyes made her look anything but. "We can even offer you a general location of the Campione if you like."

" **I am listening,** " Siegfried nodded.

 **(LINE BREAK)**

 **Kuoh Academy**

Mike relaxed on the roof of his new school, just staring up at the clouds. It was an activity which he took up not long after he had become a Campione. Being faced with his own demise and then his ascension into kingship made him begin to appreciate the smaller things. Times of quiet, the chance to just enjoy a nice day, the freedom of the open sky. Open space was definitely something he had come to appreciate, after being around so many people who wished to speak with him after he became a Campione, being presented at numerous buildings with cramped spaces, and Japan itself wasn't exactly a spacious place to begin with. He learned open space was something to treasure, thus his excursion to the rooftop during lunch.

"Mr. Summers."

Mike blinked and turned his attention towards the only door in or out of the school and was a little surprised to see Sona and her vice-president Tsubaki there. He must have been out of it to not even notice the door being opened.

"Oh, hello Kaichou," Mike greeted, hopping up to his feet. "How can I help?"

"This isn't an official request, merely my formal greeting," Sona replied, approaching Mike. When she was close enough, but had enough distance to be polite, she curtseyed with her skirt while Tsubaki did a formal Japanese greeting bow bowing at the waist, "As the heiress of the House of Sitri, I Sona Sitri wish to formally welcome you to our school."

Mike blinked, but then chuckled, remembering the name Sitri from the book Villetta had shown him, "It's a pleasure to be here Heiress Sitri. I am Michael Ichabod Summers, slayer of Solomon, and the Eighth Campione."

"It is a pleasure," Sona smiled, standing straight. "My apologies for the formality, but Devil Protocols demand it when meeting one of your position."

"Ah, I knew you were different," Mike nodded, recalling the miasma which Sona gave off to his senses. "Can I assume that your council are also members of your Peerage?"

Mike had been full of questions about Devils and Rias had been more than courteous enough to answer them. Peerages were in fact new recruits to the Inferno who used to be humans or other species, transformed into Devils with the use of Evil Pieces, chess pieces imbued with Devil's power. Each piece had a special power to it, thus why Rias introduced her Peerage as those pieces. Kings were the control pieces, Queens had the combined strengths of the other pieces, Knights had incredible speed, Rooks had the inhuman strength, Bishops had immense magical reserves, and Pawns could promote to any of the other pieces while in enemy territory.

"You would be correct," Sona nodded, gesturing to Tsubaki. "This is Tsubaki Shinra, my Queen."

"Lord Summers," Tsubaki nodded.

"Queen Shinra," Mike smiled, making the girl blush lightly. "While I do understand the need to adhere to protocols, especially for someone in both your positions as Heiress and Kaichou, was there anything else you wished to discuss with me?"

"Unfortunately yes," Sona nodded. "You see, Rias and I are what you would call the Second Owners of the land in this district. What goes on here reflects on us and if or when things begin to go wrong it falls to us to fix it. Usually when a Campione gets involved in things, they tend to begin getting a little…"

"Wanton destruction pretty much described it," Mike finished, making Sona nod. The foreign boy chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I can't deny that. I've heard stories about the others and some of the stunts they've pulled." Especially that Kusanagi Godou guy who tore down Tokyo Tower in a fight or so he heard. "Well, I can say I won't go around looking for trouble. I don't like to stir things up unless I really have to. If someone comes after me though, I won't have much a choice but to put them down though."

"Fair enough," Sona nodded. "Heretic Gods are known to be particularly ruthless when it comes to finding Campione. Just try to keep the fight away from the normal people if you can. We Devils need to keep ourselves secret just like mages do."

"I understand," Mike nodded. "There is one thing I'd like to know then."

"Yes?" wondered Sona.

"Any chance I could play you at chess again?" Mike grinned.

Sona smirked back, "Anytime Lord Summers, anytime."

Sona and Tsubaki said their goodbyes and headed back into the school to continue their own lunches and perhaps catch up on some paperwork. Once the door to the roof was closed completely, Tsubaki dared herself to speak, "I wasn't expecting him to be so reasonable after all the reports I read about Campione."

"They do come off as arrogant and overbearing, but they certainly earned that right by being able to slay Heretic Gods," Sona nodded. "Fortunately, Lord Summers seems to hold the reasonable side much like the Seventh King reportedly does."

"It is a bit of a shame though," Tsubaki pondered. "Given how Campione seem to hold their own luck, mixed with his potential if he could kill a Heretic God, he would have made a wonderful addition to the Peerage."

"That is true," Sona agreed. "But as he is now, no Evil Piece has enough power to convert one of the Godslayers into Devils. Not even if he swallowed multiple Queen pieces would it work. The value of a Campione is just too high for any amount of Evil Pieces to equal."

"True," the vice-president agreed.

(LINE BREAK)

Despite going to a school which was practically run by Devils, Mike found it to be a good experience. He got to learn about both Japanese and Devil culture which he was sure would be helpful later in his life. The teaching style of the Japanese and how they went about school was a little more intensive than back home, but he was holding his own in it.

He was getting along well with the Occult Research Club and the Student Council. Being a supernatural powerhouse in his own right and one of the few approachable Campione, the two groups felt a little more relaxed around him. Having someone they could talk shop to seemed to help form a friendship between the Campione and the two Peerages.

He managed to wrangle a chess game out of Rias and it served to be an intense one. He managed to eke out a win, but only because he put his king in a high amount of risk in order to draw hers out. Rias admitted that she hadn't had so much fun in chess since the last time she played Sona for fun before inviting Mike to drop by again for another game sometime.

His relations with the Occult Research Club were for the most part pleasant. Koneko was cordial with him, but only a few words or a nod before she'd be on her way. Kiba would greet him with a smile and they'd chat a little before the blonde's fangirls would become to crowding and he'd have to move on. Akeno was friendly as any of the others, but she'd like to tease him about his relationship with Villetta which embarrassed him to no end. Still, Rias seemed to be the most casual with him out of the group, seeing him as a fellow noble despite their different means of getting the title. Issei on the other hand didn't like him all that much, apparently viewing Mike as being some kind of blasphemer for not pursuing the desired harem fantasy although it was well within his grasp.

Well, who cared what the resident pervert thought?

Still, for all the supernatural hoopla going about, things were oddly peaceful. For a whole week Mike hadn't seen hide nor hair of the Fallen or anything else which would appear on his personal radar. There weren't even any magi around trying to get his attention and he was sure that the whole world of magical societies had to know who he was and what he looked like. Maybe they were worried he'd somehow catch Kusanagi's attention and start a fight? Still, it meant peace and quiet, which Mike was always a fan of.

Since Villetta was off working on some personal project she wanted to keep secret, Mike had the day to himself as he wandered the town, looking for something to catch his eye. Heading through the park, he passed the fountain he remembered fighting Dohnaseek at. The ruptured ground from **The King's Treasury** had been flattened down and re-seeded already, making it look like some maintenence had simply taken place instead of a fight.

Moving on from the fountain, he walked for a small water garden on his way to the entertainment district when he discovered a familiar face. None other than Issei Hyuudou was sitting on a bench, talking animately with a girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes, dressed up like a nun of all things. She just radiated innocence and seemed to be quite friendly with the Devil, although she seemed to be getting worked up over something as they talked.

' _For some reason, I feel like I'd leave a cute little mouse in the hands of a tomcat if I walked away from this,_ ' Mike thought to himself. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he began to approach the pair to see what was happening. After all, it wasn't everyday a nun and a Devil would be together and not trying to kill one another.

And then it hit him. A wave of divine power which splashed over his senses, but contaminated with the dark sensation of something else, tainting the power and making it into something else. Mike frowned, picking up his pace towards the two. He didn't _see_ anything yet, but he could _feel_ it and it was coming in hot.

And come it did in a flurry of black feathers as Fallen Angel appeared above the water in the ornate garden with a flurry of black feathers. Her appearance was beautiful, but she was dressed like a complete skank with leather dominatrix-like clothing. In Mike's mind, it was no mystery what sin caused her to fall.

"This a private party or can anyone join in?" Mike announced himself, approaching the standoff with calm determination.

"Huh? Summers-san?" Issei blinked, surprised to see Mike there.

"Tsk!" the Fallen Angel frowned, seeing him. "So the Campione comes out to play."

"A...Campione?" the nun gasped, looking at Mike with wide eyes.

Mike didn't like the look of apprehension the girl was giving him, but he had more important things to worry about, "Fallen Angels ping kind of brightly on my personal radar. Despite being corrupt, you still hold divinity. Makes it pretty easy to track you down when you go on little strolls like this."

"Hmm," she frowned. "We'll have to do something about that. In the meantime, I'd best advise you keep out of affairs that don't concern you, Eighth. You'll live longer that way."

"If I followed advice like that, I wouldn't have become a Campione in the first place," Mike retorted, removing his hands from his pockets. "I've entered something of an alliance with the ones who run the supernatural scene here in Kuoh, and warmongering lunatics like you who want to push the envelope tend to disrupt the peace," Mike's body shone slightly as he prepared one of his Authorities for a fight. "Now here's _my_ offer. You back off, end whatever plot you Fallen have here, and _maybe_ I won't massacre you and your followers for attacking innocent people on the _chance_ they'd get in your way."

The Fallen took a look at Mike before smirking, "You're joking, right?"

"I don't joke," Mike hissed, his eyes narrowing as his glow increased. "Not about this."

"Yeah!" Issei spoke up. "He's a Campione for a reason and if a god couldn't take him down then a minor Fallen Angel like you sure as hell can't!" He raised his left arm. " _Sacred Gear!_ " A flash of green appeared over the back of Issei's hand before forming into a green gem which glowed with an internal fire. Around it, red metal created something akin to a knuckle duster which covered his hand and most of his forearm with a red spine coming from the sides. "Now shove off and leave Asia alone!"

"Pfft!" Rather than be intimidated, the Fallen Angel seemed amused by the appearance of Issei's Sacred Gear. "That's it? When I was ordered to hunt you down, they said your Sacred Gear would be a threat to us, but all I see is a measly Twice Critical."

"Twice Critical?" Issei frowned.

"A petty Sacred Gear which doubles your strength for a little while," the Fallen waved of Issei's threatening position. "A toy compared to some of the _real_ Sacred Gears out there. Maybe if you were a bit manlier it might be worth something, but on you? Pathetic."

Mike frowned as he approached Issei and took a position protectively in front of the little nun. His Campione senses had begun blaring when the Sacred Gear appeared and it made his logic begin to flare up. From the Fallen's words, either she was trying to downplay Issei's Sacred Gear in order to get one over him, or she didn't have much experience with the arcane devices at all. Once Mike had gotten a look at the thing, his senses started ringing ' _DRAGON! DRAGON!_ ' and wouldn't stop. Whatever the Sacred Gear was, the Fallen apparently couldn't tell what it was really worth.

"Don't listen to her Issei," Mike frowned. "She's obviously clueless when it comes to Sacred Gears."

"Huh?" Issei blinked, looking to Mike.

"Oh? And the usurping king is better?" the Fallen sniffed arrogantly.

"Of course," Mike smirked back. "Because only a total fool wouldn't be able to sense the power coming off of that thing. It reminds me of a dragon to be honest, and never in history has there ever been a _weak_ dragon."

"Heh! I like the sound of that!" Issei grinned, raising his fists.

"A dragon? In that puny thing?" the Fallen frowned. "Don't make me laugh! Siegfried! Now!"

Both young men frowned at the call, but then the pulse of power rippled through the air. The sky turned hazy as did everything else. An overwhelming pressure gripped every living thing, causing the trio facing the Fallen Angel to react in different ways.

Issei was probably the worst off, choking like he had inhaled a poisonous gas of some sort. He gasped and wheezed, hunching over as he clasped at his throat. His knees shook, not from fear, but the overwhelming sickness he felt attacking him at every angle.

Little Asia squeaked, her body trembling, although in her case it just seemed her frame was too frail to handle the pressure from the force coming down on her from all sides. She tried to stay standing, but she just could and dropped to all fours, dropping the small mouse-like doll she had been holding.

Mike's teeth clenched, his entire body gearing up for the fight of a lifetime. His instincts screamed at him to get ready to fight, to strike down the enemy that was about to appear. The aura he was giving off just pulsed and grew larger. In his conscious mind, Mike knew what was coming.

"L-Lady Raynare," Asia choked out. "Wh-what have you done?"

"Oh, nothing much," the Fallen Angel shrugged innocently. "Just called a Heretic God down from the Domain of Immortality to take care of the little Campione problem we have."

The sounds of clanking footsteps echoed through the air and from the other end of the garden, a figure seemed to appear in a swirl of mist. The imposing figure of the Heretic God appeared, looking stoically at the trio, his hand on the hit of his sword still sheathed on his back.

" **So this is the whelp you wish for me to slay?** " Siegfried asked almost contemptuously as he eyed Mike. " **Barely a babe in arms compared to his siblings. Still, I am a deity of my word. His life in return for the chance to pursue my own vendetta.** "

"Have at him," Raynare smirked. "If you have to kill the Devil to do it, well, that's just a bonus."

" **Hmm,** " Siegfried glanced at Issei. " **An unworthy foe, but I look forward in bathing in the blood of his dragon to increase my strength.** "

The gem on Issei's Sacred Gear flashed, almost with fury, before settling down. Issei grit his teeth, trying to ignore the pain which the Heretic God's mere presence brought to his Devil hide and prepared for a fight. The knuckle duster seemed to agree before the gem flashed and cried out, " **BOOST!** "

"Asia! Stay back!" Issei cried, shielding the nun from the duo. "Summers and I will take care of this!"

" _Deep within the earth, my reign grows onward. My wealth swells, my treasures increase, all for the prosperity of my kingdom. The vaults are locked to all but me and now I shall open the doors and bask in the radiant glow!_ " Mike bellowed, causing the ground to tremble before spears, axes, swords, all made of imperial gold erupted from the ground in a trail which crashed through the bottom of the water garden towards the pair.

Raynare hissed and flapped her wings to get into the air. Siegfried on the other hand drew his broadsword before charging towards the incoming gold. When the wave of golden weapons erupted to strike him, he slashed horizontally. His sword struck the erupting gold, slicing through it like a hot knife through butter, sending the pieces flying. Then from the edge of the blade, a shockwave spread from where it cut through the air, slicing even more of the weapons leading back to the trio.

"What the hell?!" Issei cried. "He, he cut right through them! Aren't your weapons divine or something?"

"They are, but his sword is too," Mike frowned. "And gold isn't exactly the best material to make a weapon out of compared to steel."

Siegfried smirked as the remains from the destroyed weapons fell into the water before he continued his charge. Mike cursed under his breath and willed several stone pillars to erupt from the ground in the form of a wall, sending dirt and cobblestone in all directions.

*SHNK!*

Another slash from Siegfried's sword cut down the pillars like they were nothing. Mike opened his mouth to demand Issei and Asia to move, but he was cut off when Siegfried's fist met his face, the force of the blow taking him clear off of his feet before he crashed _through_ a tree before smashing into the grass several yards away from the duo.

"Dammit," Mike crushed rubbing his jaw as he tried to pull himself up to his feet despite his blurred vision. His enhanced durability as a Campione was earning it's keep in that moment, keeping his body from being pulverized into mush from the punch alone. "Issei had better take that girl and run."

A shadow suddenly came over Mike and he looked up, seeing a figure in the air. Gritting his teeth, he dashed to get out of the way. Behind him, Siegfried came crashing down, slashing a deep groove into the dirt with his sword. The shock-wave from the blade cut several feet further from where the blade had actually struck, cutting another tree down the middle without even touching the actual sword.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," Mike grimaced.

" **Your weapons are of poor quality, as are your skills,** " Siegfried spoke, standing up. " **You killed a God of Gold, rather than one of Steel or of some other aspect to existence. Gold is a fine material for kings and can bring much, but in the end, wealth is finite and fleeting. It cannot bring glory, it cannot bring strength, it cannot ensure survival.** "

"True," Mike grimaced. "Which is why I don't rely on it to win my fights!" He slapped the ground, invoking his Authority. The ground under Siegfried's feet erupted with another polished stone pillar which sent the heretic God through the sky. Mike got his foot back before he charged at where Siegfried would land, letting the earth raise a golden sword for him to draw as he ran.

Siegfried's trajectory was sound, allowing Mike to meet him where the silver-haired warrior landed. Siegfried landed on his feet, albeit a little unbalanced. Seeing his chance, Mike charged in, raising his blade, "Gold might not be durable, but it can still be sharp!"

Siegfried turned, leaving his chest open for Mike's strike. The tip of the blade hit the bare flesh of Siegfried's torso and Mike anticipated seeing the weapon sink through his flesh. Instead, Siegfried's skin bent a little, but the golden sword crumbled with a metallic shriek almost as if it was tinfoil.

"Wha-!?" Mike gaped before he was struck at the temple by the hilt of Siegfried's sword, sending him tumbling a second time with blurred vision again.

" **A fine ruse, but you failed to know your enemy,** " Siegfried mocked neutrally. " **Another thing you cannot obtain with the powers of a God of Gold.** "

Mike shook his head and tried to summon up more from the earth to fight Siegfried, but a kick to his abdomen, which would have crushed the ribs of an ordinary human, sending him tumbling across the clearing before he crashed into the cobblestone path of the central area of the park.

"Dammit," Mike grimace, spitting a wad of blood out of his mouth. Shaking his head, he pushed himself up to his feet and tried to turn in the direction of Siegfried. The warrior was easy to spot, strolling almost casually out of the cluster of trees with his sword slung over his shoulder.

"Okay, if gold won't cut you, maybe diamond will!" Mike clenched his fists, causing the ground to erupt with more dirt before diamonds fired from the depths like bullets with their points aimed directly at Siegfried.

Siegfried raised his arm to shield his face before the diamonds struck his body like rapid fire. The diamonds did indeed strike, but not a single one were able to cut his skin despite the nature of a diamond's sharp edges. The silver-haired warrior merely took the barrage, confident in his invulnerability and patient in his purpose.

The barrage died, and Mike blinked at the sight of his unblemished opponent, "What…?"

Siegfried lowered his hand, smirking before he took proper hold of his sword again. Lifting the weapon, he unleashed a diagonal slash into the air. He swung with a visibly greater force than his previous strikes. The air actually rippled from the strike, creating a visible effect from the slash itself. Mike tried to move, but a piercing pain rippled across his chest and a spray of blood burst from his chest in a diagonal line.

"GACK!" Mike choked, both from the pain and the blood erupting from his body from the strike. His legs faltered and he collapsed onto his back, gagging as more blood rushed from his mouth. Panting, he tried to move, his survival instinct shrieking at him to flee while his Campione instinct bellowed insistently that he had to get up and keep fighting. Either way, his body wasn't cooperating as his chest bled out.

" **It would be so easy,** " Siegfried spoke up, coming into Mike's view. He placed the tip of his sword just under Mike's chin, tilting his head up. " **But it will not bring me satisfaction nor glory. There is no such thing when slaying a newborn Campione.** "

Mark spluttered, spitting up more blood, but he couldn't speak.

" **I will wait until you ripen. I expect you when the Devil holding the dragon within comes calling for his pretty little woman,** " Siegfried continued, bringing his sword away. Sheathing it, he turned and began walking away. " **I do anticipate your arrival, for if you do not then I shall slay that dragon and add its might to my own before I hunt you down, Bastard Child of Pandora.** "

Mike grimaced and tried to stand up, but his body was too wracked with pain and injury. Coughing another glob of blood out of his mouth, he slumped back and passed out.

 **To Be Continued...**

(LINE BREAK)

 **CAMPIONE DATA: MICHAEL SUMMERS**

Michael Summers hails from Canada and enroute to Japan for an exchange program, he decided to take the long way in order to do some sight-seeing. This led him to being at Ground Zero when Heretic God King Solomon decided he needed more concubines, shaped by people's impressions and belief of him, and picked an international airport to search thinking a number of beauties from all over the world would be there. Due to his arrogance and preoccupation with the women he found, Mike was able to deal a lethal blow to Solomon with spears he had been impaled with.

Michael's theme as a Campione is **Noble**. He holds himself to a responsibility to be responsible with his abilities and his position should he need to use them. His Authorities reflect the position and responsibility of kingship. His first one, **Divine Gift of Kings** reflects the three aspects of being a king, the Requirements, the Rewards, and the Responsibility of kingship. **Heart of Wisdom** reflects the most important requirement of effective kingship, meaning wisdom and intelligence to govern. **The King's Treasury** reflects the reward in gold, jewels, and finery. **Harem of the King** is the responsibility of a king to ensure his kingdom continues with solid leadership, secured by continuing his line through an appropriate spouse or mistress. Out of the Campione, Mike is the only one who understands his responsibilities and holds the title as one rather than ignoring it or using it as a tool for their own ambitions like the others do.

 **Divine Gift of Kings**

An Authority which is in fact three aspects representing the three aspects which come with kingship: The requirement, the reward, and the responsibility.

 **Heart of Wisdom**

 _Oh yea, I beseech thy Lord for the sake of my people. I shall tell right from wrong, good from evil, and truth from lies. Let my wisdom come forth and solve all woes of my people. I shall be the one whose wisdom shall end all quarrel and strife!_

This is a supportive Authority which is always active to an extent. It grants the user enhanced wisdom, the clarity of mind to see everything from a distance or observer's point of view. In its passive state, the wielder is harder to lie to or trick and is capable of seeing a larger picture when it comes to any issue put before them be it war, investigation, or even word puzzles. When this power is fully activated, becomes impossible to lie to the wielder and they are capable of planning multiple steps ahead in any endeavor, and even by observing people they are dealing with they are able to determine the kind of secrets they hold, their personalities, and future actions they will most likely take. One limitation is that the wisdom only takes into account what the wielder knows so if something is happening he does not know about, he cannot anticipate it in his plans and observations. A second limitation is the human mind isn't biologically capable of working on a divine level so the longer this Authority is in use, the more pain the user will have to suffer through when it is shut down.

 **The King's Treasury**

 _Deep within the earth, my reign grows onward. My wealth swells, my treasures increase, all for the prosperity of my kingdom. The vaults are locked to all but me and now I shall open the doors and bask in the radiant glow!_

This Authority is the treasure and wealth of King Solomon, derived from the legends and belief of King Solomon's Mine. Using this Authority allows the wielder to summon up treasures of Solomon's kingdom, including weapons and armor, but not limited to gold, jewels, and other valuable artifacts. The wealth is only limited to what Solomon of old considered valuable so if the user wishes for modern currency he will have to sell the items in order to become wealthy in a modern sense. Weapons drawn, being Solomon's property, hold a divine aura in themselves and can be used in clashes against other gods although they likely don't have any special abilities in themselves. Wealth also extended to other materials such as stone and such, allowing the user to summon up marble pillars from the ground. The limit to this Authority for a Campione is that the user must be in contact with the ground at all times when using this Authority.

 **Harem of the King**

 _Ye woman of beauty, intellect, and charm, I reach out my hand to you. I shall take you as my mistress to protect and to please. I shall accept your devotion, your adoration, and your subservience. Be reborn as my mistress!_

This is an unusual Authority, which allows the user to bond with select women both magically and emotionally. The user and the target must share some form of affection with each other, otherwise the Authority will remain inert. After sharing a kiss, the subject's feelings will overflow from where they used to be, becoming deeply attached emotionally to the user. The subject in turn will also become enhanced as if in divine blessing, enhancing their magical reserves as well as their resistance. Their bodies also become much more durable than before. Although they do not reach Campione levels, they do rank up with high caliber mages who studied and practiced for decades. This attachment is capable of being removed and were not Villetta able to prove her feelings were still true, Michael would have removed it immediately.


	3. One Night War

**I do not own Campione! or High School DxD. I am only writing this for fun and not for any kind of profit. If you do not like the story then I won't keep you here. If you do like it so far, please continue to show your support.**

 **God Slayer DxD**

 **By Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Chapter 3: One Night War**

Mike returned to the waking world with a groan and a throbbing pain in his chest. Grunting, he rubbed his head, trying to make the pain go away with the sleep fogging his mind. After a few moments, his memory kicked in and he realized what had caused him to be rendered out cold in the first place.

"Issei!" Mike sat up in a flash, causing a wave of vertigo to hit him. Gritting his teeth to bulldoze through it, he looked around his surroundings. He wasn't out cold and resting in a puddle of his own blood. He was inside a room, resting on a sizable victorian couch. It took him a moment, but he realized he was back in the Occult Research Club's clubhouse. Looking down, he saw that he was shirtless and his chest was wrapped in bandages.

"Ara, so you've finally woken up."

Mike blinked and turned, seeing Akeno walking into the room with bandages and towels in her arms. She seemed as elegant as ever with a smile on her face. Mike had to admit that she was at least a pleasant sight to wake up to after the ass-kicking he received.

"Akeno-san," Mike nodded. "I take it Rias and the others picked us up?"

"Indeed we did," Akeno nodded, setting her bundles down before looking to Mike's chest. "Buchou makes it a point to keep track of her new servants, especially when they're as danger prone as Issei-kun. We found you not far away in your state, which really makes me wonder what could have done such damage to a Campione."

"A Heretic God, that's what," Mike grimaced as Akeno began undoing his bandages. "The Fallen Angels have called in some heavy backup."

Akeno lost her good natured smile in favor of frowning and nibbling at her lip as she worked, "We feared as such, although we hoped it was just a high tier Fallen that attacked you both."

"No such luck," Mike sighed. "Is Issei okay? Just being around that Heretic God made him look like he wanted to puke."

"New and weak Devils generally can't take being in the divine presence of a Heretic God," Akeno shook her head as she finished removing the bandages, revealing dried blood and only raw pink skin of a freshly healed wound. "Ah, you're healing very quickly. The Campione regenerative abilities aren't exaggerated after all," Akeno began putting the used bandages aside. "Issei-kun was pierced right through by the Fallen and his little friend was taken away. Buchou is tending to him now."

"Then we need to talk," Mike stood up from the couch, feeling his body lightly protest but was otherwise fine. "This isn't the case of a bunch of punks anymore. If they summoned a Heretic God, they're getting ready to make a big move with that nun they took."

Akeno nodded as she likewise stood up, "Yes. It seems that way. I'll take you to Buchou. She should be finishing up with Issei-kun in the bath by now."

Mike nodded and Akeno led him through the club room, leading to a connected room which had more people inside. The rest of the Occult Research Club was in attendance. Koneko was at a seat, munching on some more sweets, a moderate pile of them. Kiba was leaning against a wall, appearing to be in deep and troubled thoughts. Issei was up and about, but he was still pale, like he had gotten over being sick. Rias herself was behind her desk, nibbling her thumb in obvious worry. Likewise in the room was Villetta, looking worried and calm at the same time.

When Mike and Akeno entered the room, Villetta's calm broke as she hopped to her feet and dashed to her sworn king and hugged him, "Lord Michael!" Mike blushed, but he knew his knight had been worried and just needed to show her relief at his good health.

"I'm okay Villetta," Mike sighed, gently rubbing her back.

After a few moments, she stepped back, fixing her hair and wiping her eyes, "Yes, yes, of course you are. Forgive my outburst."

"That's quite alright. It's normal to be worried about those we care for," Rias spoke, setting her hands down on her desk as she looked to Mike with a frown. "Issei told me about his side of the story with the nun, but I think we can safely assume that the situation has taken on a greater severity than we first assumed."

"No kidding," Mike nodded, he and Viletta taking seats on the chairs in front of Rias' desk. "Obviously these Fallen Angels have something a little more planned than just kicking up trouble. If they're bringing in Heretic Gods to fight for them then we're looking at more than just extremists with an axe to grind."

"Indeed," Rias agreed before looking to Issei. "Issei, tell Lord Summers what you told me."

Issei heaved a sigh before he looked to Mike, "Her name's Asia Argento. She used to be considered some kind of Holy Maiden for the church. She's got a Sacred Gear called Twilight Healing which lets her heal just about anything. Everyone called her a saint or something until she found a Devil who was hurt. She didn't know he was a Devil and healed him, but when the church found out they excommunicated her. The Fallen scooped her up and told her to come here. They've got some kind of ritual planned for her. I think they want to steal her Sacred Gear so they can use it for themselves!"

Mike frowned, "Extremists is right. They're gearing up to start conflicts all over again." Scowling, he turned to Rias. "Rias Gremory, although this is your territory to watch over, I'm pulling rank as a King and say this group has to go down. I'll do it myself if I have to!"

"Don't worry. I'm more than willing to help and so is my Peerage," Rias nodded.

"Buchou?" Issei gasped, perking up.

"I originally planned to just use this to push Issei to move past his heartbreak and tap into the power of his Sacred Gear," Rias grimaced, "But this has gone farther than any little test now that Heretic Gods are involved with the Fallen."

"Lord Michael, were you able to discern who this Heretic God is?" asked Kiba, finally speaking up.

"Siegfried," Mike replied. "He said his name was Siegfried."

Villetta grimaced at the name, "So, he's finally returned."

"Nu-san? Do you know about this Heretic God?" asked Akeno.

"He has appeared before," Villetta nodded. "Some time ago, Marquis Sasha Dejansthal Voban enacted a ritual to forcibly summon a Heretic God for him to fight and claim more power from. That time, Siegfried was the Heretic God that was summoned. Before Voban could combat him though, Campione Salvatori Doni happened upon the ritual site and challenged Siegfried to battle, defeating him and gaining his power instead."

"Powers?" asked Koneko.

"His abilities stem from his legend, from the stories which are told about him like with any Heretic God," Villetta explained.

"So then we have to research him," Mike frowned. "But we don't have the time to go through books looking for his name when we have to save Asia from whatever ritual the Fallen have planned for her."

"No worries," Villetta explained. "As a standard procedure, the European magus societies have researched extensively on Siegfried should he return to the world for a rematch against Doni or to chase a grudge against Voban. I am capable of transferring that knowledge to you should you need it."

"Really? There's a spell like that?" Mike blinked, but then frowned, "Wait, won't my Campione abilities just negate it like every other mortal spell that hits me?"

Villetta grinned lightly, "Not if I do it like this." She took Mike's head in her hands and before he could react, drew him into a powerful kiss that quite obviously had some tongue play.

"...bastard…" Issei grumbled despite his laser-like stare at the action. "Flaunting it like that…"

Mike blinked, utterly shocked before he felt some kind of warmth which wasn't Villetta's tongue or her breath pass into his mouth before spreading along the rest of his body before focusing up inside of his mind. Names, facts, information suddenly shot into his mind, filling it with things he hadn't know before. All things Siegfried was pushed into his mind, filling him with knowledge about the Heretic God who he was destined to face in the coming hours.

Ending the spell, Villetta broke the kiss and leaned back, "There. That is all of the knowledge I possess on the Heretic God Siegfried."

"Ara ara, what a naughty way to cast a spell," Akeno giggled. "I must try it."

"Did it give you what you need to know?" asked Rias with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, I think so," Mike nodded, wiping the extra saliva off his lips. "Put it to use with _**Heart of Wisdom**_ and I think I just might have a shot."

" _ **Heart of Wisdom**_? What's that do?" asked Issei.

"It allows me to tap into divine wisdom, whatever the source might be," Mike shrugged. "The catch is, I'm only wise about stuff that I already know. I don't gain new knowledge where I didn't have it before and I don't get any new insights into anything unless it's possible to see that insight with the knowledge I already have. It's semi-active half the time and it makes it really hard to lie to me even when I turn it off."

"The wisdom of Solomon indeed," Kiba smiled. "So then if there is a way to defeat Siegfried with the knowledge you gained, you will no doubt find it."

"That's the hope," Mike nodded. Shaking off the warm fuzzies he felt from the kiss, he looked to the Occult Research Club, "Okay, are we ready to go kick some Fallen ass?"

"Damn right!" Issei shouted, rocketing to his feet. "I'm primed and ready to rock!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Rias, getting to her feet. "Let us begin!"

(LINE BREAK)

 **Abandoned Church**

Fortunately, Issei already knew where to go. When he first met Asia he escorted her to the only church he knew which was abandoned due to lack of practitioners. It made the perfect base for the Fallen since Angels wouldn't be keeping an eye on it anymore and no humans would be hanging around to see things they shouldn't.

"Shame this place got abandoned. The scenery is pretty nice," Mike commented as he, his knight, and the ORC stood at the edge of the property just outside the gates, concealed by the night and by the cover of trees.

"We'll have to move fast," commented Kiba. "They'll likely be onto us the moment we step into the building, if not on the property itself."

"And if Siegfried is in the building, you all will no doubt feel the effects of having such divinity nearby," Villetta added. "Gremory-dono and Himejima-san may have no or little issue, but the rest of you no doubt will have troubles."

"Yeah…" Issei grimaced, recalling the poisonous pressure he felt from just being in the vicinity of the Heretic God.

"That's where I come in," Mike reassured the group. "I doubt a Heretic God will want to help Fallen Angels unless he's one himself without some kind of payoff. So Siegfried's only interest will be me. Once he shows up, I'm sure I can draw him away from the rest of you."

"And then we will take care of the Fallen," Rias nodded.

"We'll be in your care Michael-kun," Akeno giggled.

"Akeno and I will handle the Fallen themselves," Rias explained. "Villetta, Issei, Kiba, and Koneko will rescue the nun. Any questions?"

"None."

"Good," Mike nodded, but then he stiffened as he felt a familiar sensation begin to pass over him. Around him, the Devils each showed reactions to the same sensation. Issei looked like he was about to puke while Kiba grimaced and clenched a hand over his heart. Koneko became wobbly on her feet. Akeno and Rias seemed to have the least severe reaction, paling a little.

"Go," Mike frowned, looking to the deep woods. "Go now. He's coming!"

" **I am already here,** " Siegfried's voice rang before a fog rolled in and he appeared, sword slung over his shoulder. Mike pushed to the front of the group, ready to fight while making sure that the ORC had a chance to get to the church and deal with the Fallen.

"Guys, he's mine," Mike declared as he glared at Siegfried.

" **So, you came to actually face your demise, wretched Campione. I should commend you for not running**."

"Well, what doesn't kill me just makes me stronger," smirked Mike roguishly.

" **Arrogant, but then again it's so typical of you Campione. Just because you can kill a god, you think that nothing can kill you** ," Siegfried scoffed.

"Well, considering we Campione were able to beat guys like you while mortal, a bit of arrogance is allowed, don't ya think?"

" **Hmph!** " Siegfried scowled. " **Your Devil comrades may continue towards the church. I have no loyalty to the Fallen outside of our agreement. I do not want any distractions for our confrontation.** "

"You heard the guy," Mike gestured for his friends to continue.

"Right. Good luck," Rias nodded as she and the others dashed for the front of the church.

" **Prepare yourself, Campione.** "

"The name's Michael Summers!"

Siegfried scowled and lunged, crossing the distance between them before slashing wide at Mike. The Campione ducked low, feeling the back of his shirt get cut just from the proximity to the sword before he slapped the ground. The soil erupted with a stone pillar, crashing against Siegfried's chest before launching him far back, knocking the wind from his lungs. The knight flipped over before landing on his feet, wiping a trail of saliva from his mouth.

" **You activated your Authority before arriving,** " he frowned. " **Clever.** "

"Yeah. Now wait until you see my next trick," Mike continued, summoning up another of his powers. " _Oh yea, I beseech thy Lord for the sake of my people. I shall tell right from wrong, good from evil, and truth from lies. Let my wisdom come forth and solve all woes of my people. I shall be the one whose wisdom shall end all quarrel and strife!_ "

Mike's body lit up with golden light, making his skin look like it was made of gold while his eyes had turned white. He stared down at Siegfried with a kind of pressure which he didn't have before. He stared deep into Siegfried's eyes before he began speaking again.

" _Your name in this modern era is Siegfried, but that was not always the case,_ " Mike spoke, his voice powerful and sounding ancient. " _You began as a legend among the Vikings in the_ _Völsunga saga. You were the son of Hiordis who gave birth after her husband Sigmund died, foolishly challenging Odin to battle. His final wish was to pass down the shards of his broken sword to you._ " Mike stepped forward, his golden aura growing as he walked. " _Your stepfather sent you to be raised by the dwarf Regin who tried to tempt you into greed and violence. Finally, he convinced you to claim the treasure of Fafnir with the reforged sword of your father, Gram. You waited in a pit and stabbed Fafnir with your sword, cutting through the dragon's hide and bathing in the blood, rendering you invulnerable and able to communicate with birds._ "

" **You know much of me, but it will not avail you!** " Siegfried frowned, lunging for Mike once again with his sword raised.

Mike frowned as Siegfried approached and with another slash, attempted to bisect him. Mike dipped around the strikes, his shirt cut in several places as he came in close proximity to the edge of the blade. Despite the proximity to death with one strike, Mike remained as calm as ever despite the situation. He slipped under another strike before Siegfried slashed wide. Mike raised his arms and remained close enough to be struck by his arms instead of his sword. The force sent Mike skidding backwards before he crashed against a tree.

Shaking his head, Mike stood up and continued talking, " _You married the shieldmaiden Brynhild. However, the court of Heimar desired the treasure of Fafnir you claimed and fed you a draught of forgetfulness to forget you married Brynhild so they could make you marry the daughter Gudrun. Brynhild was later married to Gudrun's brother Gunnar with your help and your horse Grani. But Brynhild discovered the deception and orchestrated events to kill you before she killed your son and herself to burn in her own funeral pyre._ "

Siegfried did not speak and charged at Mike once again. Siegfried swung wide, but Mike merely leaned to the side for a moment before the blade struck the tree. Unlike other materials though, the sword stuck fast in the wood of the tree rather than be cut straight through like anything else.

" **What!?** " Siegfried gasped.

" _Gram, the sword of your father, was stuck inside the oak tree which grew in your father's hall, only to be drawn by the worthy warrior,_ " Mike continued. " _The weapon is capable of cutting through everything but cannot cut entirely through the sacred tree of the gods. Once the sword is placed in oak, only worthy warriors can draw it out again._ "

" **Do you seek to insult me?!** " Siegfried frowned, pulling on his weapon and drawing it from the wood of the tree. " **I am the master of this sword and no one else!** "

" _Ages passed and the viking tales written in runes and totems was moved to other kinds of writing,_ " Mike continued, moving behind the tree as Siegfried swung again, once more getting his sword stuck in the wood, forcing him to take a moment to pull it free while Mike moved deeper into the woods where more oak trees were to be found. " _You changed once again in the Þiðrekssaga, you were born and set adrift in a crystal vessel in a river until you were found and nursed by a doe. You were raised by the smith Mimir. He named you Sigurd, he named you Siegfried, two names for the same thing: Victory. When you became too strong, he asked his brother Regin, a dragon, to try and kill you. You in turn slayed the both of them."_

Siegfried frowned and followed Mike deeper into the woods. Mike was there to continue the fight by unleashing a wave of golden spears from the ground. The Heretic God scoffed and swung his weapon, cutting down several of the spears before he kept going.

" **This will not save you Bastard Child!** "he shouted to the golden light which shone ahead of them. " **My skin renders me invulnerable from your weapons!** "

Undeterred, Mike just clenched his fists and kept speaking, " _But is the Germans who changed you into a knightly figure in_ _Nibelungenlied. Naming you Sifrit, they wrote your adventure again, but this time they gave you something more. They gave you a weakness, the middle of your back in the shape of a fig leaf. Your one weakness, your one vulnerable spot._ "

Siegfried's eyes narrowed at the revelation of his weakness before he charged at Mike with his blade once again. He slashed, but because of the numerous oak trees around them, he had to keep his strikes narrow and controlled, unable to unleash his full strength. Mike was able to dodge and dip around the strikes, almost as if he could tell what kind of fighting style Siegfried used, capable of predicting his movements, and applying the knowledge he had to the fight.

" **Your knowledge will not avail you when you are too weak to take advantage of it!** " Siegfried snarled, rearing back for another strike. Mike tensed for another sword strike, but he flinched when it was not Gram which was swung at him, but Siegfried's fist.

*KRACK!*

The Heretic God's fist crashed against Mike's jaw with enough force to send him sailing through the air. He crashed through the branches of the trees before landing in the clearing behind the church. He skidded across the grass before coming to a stop. Groaning, Mike shook his head before pulling himself up to his knees.

" **You have made this...entertaining. You improved much only after our one meeting,** " Siegfried acknowledged as he emerged from the woods, sword at the ready. " **However, it will not avail you in this conflict.** "

*KRACK-THOOM!*

Siegfried and Mike paused as a blast of raw power blasted through another portion of the woods, a dark power of crimson and black which even at their distance reeked of the miasma which Mike had come to associate with Devils. He could easily guess that it was either Rias or Akeno who had fired that shot since they were the most powerful members of the peerage.

" **Hmm. It seems three of the Fallen have met their demise,** " SIegfried idly commented before turning his attention back to Mike.

"Three down, one to go," Mike grunted, standing up. Steeling himself, he stared down his opponent. His eyes flared again as his glow strengthened once more, " _The mortal weakness of Siegfried, his major flaw has always been the same through the ages. Sigurd, Sifrit, Siegfried, you all share the common flaw._ "

" **Enough of this! I will end you Campione!** " Siegfried bellowed, slashing his sword into the air in a blast of light. From the gash, a massive white horse fit for a viking warlord emerged with a loud neigh. It was adorned in a saddle which was silver and black, perfect for a knight, showing the fusion of the two ideals which Siegfried was thought of. Taking ahold of the horse, Siegfried mounted it.

Mike tilted his head, " _Grani, the steed which you rode through the flames which imprisoned the Valkyrie, a horse descended from the mighty Sleipnir. He is a steed which can allow you to ride through any obstacle, offered to you by none other than Odin himself. A steed fit for a king._ "

" **Indeed! And this steed shall be my tool for victory!** " Siegfried announced, charging at Mike with his weapon raised once more.

" _Despite all these gifts and abilities you have accumulated, it does not erase your fatal flaw,_ " Mike took a step forward.

" **I HAVE NO FLAW!** " Siegfried bellowed, coming in close on his charging warhorse, swinging wide at Mike once again.

*THUNK!*

Siegfried felt his arm jerk and his momentum mixed with his sword suddenly getting stuck forced him to release his weapon's handle. Cursing he took ahold of the reins of his steed and turned Grani around so he could return to his sword from the corpse of his opponent. When he did turn around, he froze.

Mike stood feet away from him, holding up a spindly branch of an oak tree with the blade of Gram stuck halfway through it.

" _Your Fatal Flaw: Foolishness!_ " he announced, his golden aura shining brightly. " _You charge forward, heedless of what might happen, heedless of the consequences, heedless of the pain you may cause others. Brynhildr killed you because of that foolishness! Now it will be your undoing once again!_ "

" **YOU BASTARD! RELEASE MY SWORD!** " Siegfried bellowed, snapping the reins of his steed and charging once more with the full force his divine beast was capable of unleashing.

"Glady," Mike retorted, taking the hilt of Gram and lifting the sword up, oak branch still stuck on the blade. "But let's deal a little bit of a test first. What happens when the unbreakable meets with the unblockable?"

Siegfried was overcome with rage and instead kept racing towards the Campione with the force of a wrathful god. Mike kept his cool and angled the sword to his side, the handle pointing at the ground with the blade pointing at Siegfried. Mike the grit his teeth and the ground behind him split, pushing up another stone pillar with the force of a gunshot, hitting the handle of Gram. The force launched the blade out of Mike's hands before it was launched directly at Siegfried.

" **WHA-?!** " The Heretic God cried out, unable to move before his own blade crashed into his exposed chest.

*SHHHHH-KRACK!*

There was a flash of light and the sound of shearing metal before the sounds of explosions went off. Mike had to shield his eyes from the blast. When the light died down, Mike turned to see what had happened. When his eyes readjusted to the night, he couldn't help but let out a whistle at it.

Grani was gone, dismissed from Siegfried's side. The Heretic God himself was on his hands and knees, panting, but he was not it good shape. His clothing was in tatters, his top and armor gone, all that remained was furs which wrapped around his waist, legs, and boots. He looked more like a viking than he did a germanic knight. His torso was still bare, adorned with viking adornments, but covered in open wounds which bled freely. Around him were the shards and pieces of his sword, bloody and broken, showing they were the reason for the Heretic God's condition.

" **H-how?!** " Siegfried, or rather Sigurd, the beginning of Siegfried gasped as he looked up to Mike, revealing more gashes on his face. " **My skin is un-unbreakable! How were you able to rend it as such?!** "

"Simple," Mike answered. "When the unstoppable and the unmovable come into contact, neither is capable of surviving. Nature, the world, the fabric of existence just cannot allow such a paradox to exist. The gods are notorious for placing this law into existence and whenever it happens, neither survives. Zeus, when faced with the Teumessian Fox which could never be caught, fighting the hound Laelaps who never failed to catch his prey, he turned them both to stone to end that paradox. Your sword which always cuts pitted against your skin which never breaks was another such paradox which could not be allowed to exist."

Sigurd snarled, but grasped the handle of his ruined sword which still had a fragment of the blade left, " **Very well. It matters not. I will still slay you, Bastard Child of Pandora, Michael Summers. But I will remember your name to tell more stories of my struggles and glory!** "

"An honor, I'm sure, but I don't intend to die today," Mike frowned.

" **None do,** " Sigurd growled before he unleashed a war cry fit for a viking hero and charged at Mike with his broken sword raised.

Mike grit his teeth and the ground around Sigurd exploded with golden spears and swords. With so many open wounds on his body, the blades had plenty of places to strike. Their aim was true, piercing Sigurd's body, entering through the wounds and erupting from the opposite sides in sprays of blood. Sigurd stumbled, but he didn't stop, continuing his mad charge. Mike's scowl grew as he manifested more spears, ripping through more open wounds on the Heretic God's body. Organs were pierced, muscles torn, and blood burst from every conceivable portion of his body.

And Sigurd still ran, tearing the spears from his body or the ground, whichever came first.

Finally Sigurd reached Mike and prepared to swing at him with his broken sword. Mike closed his eyes, sighing sadly at the sight. Sigurd's yell reached a pinnacle before he tried to unleash the final blow in the battle.

*SHINK!*

And the final golden spear erupted from his chest from an angle which revealed it hit in the centre of his back. Sigurd finally stopped, the blow to his fatal weak spot the final strike needed to finally bring him down. His arm dropped as his body began to turn limp.

" **So...I lose,** " Sigurd grunted.

"Yes, but you do so with pride and dignity," Mike replied, looking to Siegfried's bloodied face. "Only a barrage fit to kill an army was enough to defeat you. A fitting end to a legend such as yourself."

" **Yes…** " Sigurd coughed, hacking up blood as his body began to glow. " **So...I become part of your story, a retelling of your glory.** "

"So it seems," Mike nodded. "But it will be a grand story, one that will stretch for decades and it will be retold for longer still. Your name will become a legend in the modern world, not just the ancient one."

Sigurd grinned lightly, " **A fine ending then. One of struggle...of battle...and the glory of victory with an honorable defeat..victory through wisdom, not power...respecting your opponent to the end,** " his feet and hands vanished as his form began to dissolve, his power returning to the Domain of Immortality. " **You are not like your siblings who I have met. A rabid beast and a fool…** "

"No," Mike shook his head. "I am a King."

" **Then...I look forward to seeing your rule...King of Wisdom,** " Sigurd nodded before the last of his body vanished, leaving Mike alone.

Mike sighed and allowed the spears to sink back beneath the earth. Unleashing a breath, the golden aura vanished from his body, returning him to normal. He held the position for a moment before he let out a cry of pain, grabbing his head to try and massage the mother of all migraines out of his brain. Mike dropped to the ground, rolling on the dirt as his head throbbed. "OOOOOOOOOOWWWW! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! AH SHIT THAT HURTS!"

Needless to say, the **Heart of Wisdom** exacted a price for its use, namely pain in the form of the mind readjusting to regular mortal thought patterns after being used on a divine level for an extended period of time. The longer that particular Authority was in use, the worse the pain got when it was eventually shut down.

"Mama Pandora, why do you do this?" Mike groaned into the dirt, holding his head.

" **EXPLOSION!** " a voice inside the church bellowed, heralded by shining green light.

"OW! OKAY, THAT ISN'T FUNNY!" Mike cried, his head throbbing with the shout and shining light.

"NO! YOU CAN'T! I HAVE THE SUPREME POWER!"

"THIS ONE'S FOR ASIA!"

Mike winced again when he heard the sound of someone getting hit, likely by something strong, before a female scream echoed through the air followed by the sounds of a window breaking at the front of the church. Mike knew the fight was likely over and forced himself up to his feet so he could see what had happened.

Stumbling to the front of the church, he saw a Fallen Angel, the one who had come for Asia before, splayed out on the ground, out cold. From what bit of her face he could see, her cheek was swelling up at a ridiculous rate, like something had hit her and _hard._ The front window of the church was broken, now sporting a huge hole. From the glass surrounding the Fallen, something had hit her so hard it sent her sailing out the front window. The amount of raw muscle strength needed to do that was nothing to sneeze at.

"Whew," Mike winced, almost feeling sympathetic. "That had to hurt."

"Indeed it did," Rias' voice piped up, getting Mike to turn to see the redhead Devil and her Queen approaching from another portion of the woods. "Are you well, Michael?"

"Feels like my head's going to explode but I'm okay," Mike nodded, massaging his temple. "Siegfried's taken care of. He's back in the Domain of Immortality in any case. How'd you fare?"

"Well, we took care of those naughty Fallen while Issei-kun and the others went inside to get the nun," Akeno reported before placing a hand on her cheek with a smile. "I do believe they succeeded."

"No kidding," Mike chuckled, looking to the unconscious Fallen. "So what do we do with her?"

"Bring her inside the church," Rias requested. "We have one last thing to do before calling it a night."

Mike and Akeno each took an arm on the Fallen Angel Raynare before dragging her to the church. Rias led the way, opening the doors for the pair before they entered the building proper. Inside was a destroyed church with several pews crushed and all of the religious statues destroyed.

The remainder of their group were also in attendance. Koneko stood at attention, but her blouse was ripped slightly, showing her cotton yellow bra. Viletta was nearby, as immaculate as ever in her office outfit and not looking the least bit like she had been fighting off the forces of the Fallen. Kiba was supporting Issei who looked the worst out of the lot. The brown-haired boy had bleeding holes in his legs and he looked pretty scuffed up. His Sacred Gear on the other hand had somehow transformed. Instead of a knuckle duster, it now looked like a red metal gauntlet with a dragon motif and the emerald embedded in the back of his hand.

"Your work Issei?" Mike asked, gesturing to the Fallen he and Akeno were dragging along.

"Yeah, me and my Sacred Gear," Issei grinned weakly, lifting his covered arm up.

"Nice work," Mike nodded. It seemed that despite being a perv, Issei had guts and determination where and when it counted. A scourge on women, but a good friend when the chips were down. "So, were we in time?"

Issei's grin fell and he looked over his shoulder to an intact pew. Mike's gaze followed and he saw the little nun in a torn nightshirt with her hands placed on her chest with her eyes closed. Her chest wasn't moving to show she was breathing either.

"Shit," Mike hissed. He and Akeno dropped Raynare, perhaps a little harder than was necessary.

"Wake her up," Rias ordered her Queen. Akeno did so, conjuring a ball of water which she dropped onto Raynare's head, causing the Fallen to gasp and push herself up to look around. Her eyes landed on Rias and she paled.

"Ah, I see you recognize me," Rias smirked. "Just to be formal, my name is Rias Gremory, heiress to the House of Gremory, one of the 72 Pillars of the Underworld."

"Oh crap," Raynare gulped. Steeling herself, she tried to play tough, "You don't know the can of worms you're opening! When my comrades and the Heretic God we summoned return-!"

"You mean, _these_ comrades?" Rias asked, producing three black feathers. Raynare's eyes widened when she saw them, feeling the energy of her comrades coming from them. "We met in the woods. They were quite rude to me."

"And don't count on Siegfried bursting in on his horse," Mike spoke up, stepping up beside Rias where Raynare could see him. "He's back in the Domain of Immortality where he belongs. I've even got a nice new Authority to show for it."

Raynare choked on her own spit, "But...You...do you even know what you're risking by doing all this?!"

"Well, normally if a bunch of Fallen are merely living in my territory I'd leave them alone, but you just couldn't seem to stop harassing my Issei-kun," Rias answered simply. "And then summoning a Heretic God just to attack Lord Summers who entered an alliance with me? Well, I couldn't just turn a blind eye to that." Rias glanced over to Issei, "But I had to wonder why you considered Issei so important. Now I can see it."

"What?" Raynare frowned.

"That Sacred Gear you dismissed as a Twice Critical is anything but," Rias grinned, turning back to Raynare. "That Sacred Gear is none other than the fabled Boosted Gear. The power of the Red Dragon Emperor and one of the thirteen Longinus-Class Sacred Gears said to be capable of overcoming God."

"Woah, it's that strong?" Issei blinked, lifting his gauntleted arm up.

"What?!" Raynare cried. "A Sacred Gear like that in the hands of a childish pervert?!"

"It seems you're the last one to know," Mike shrugged, folding his hands into his pockets. "I felt it when I first saw the thing. Heck, Siegfried even saw it and vowed to kill the dragon so he could add it's power to his own. We even said as much in front of you and you still didn't believe it."

"Yes, the ability to double his strength every ten seconds," Rias nodded proudly over her new Pawn. "The only downside is that it takes some time to really get going. Fortunately, with you playing around with Issei-kun it had plenty of time to get into gear."

Raynare grimaced, getting up to her knees. Looking to the group, she tried to think of something to get out of her current predicament. When her eyes landed on Issei, her wings flapped in a tornado of black feathers before she emerged without them, dressed in proper clothes and looking like a teenager instead of the woman she was before.

"Issei! Please help me! Don't let them hurt me!" she cried out innocently for Issei, holding her arms out like she was begging him to pull her away from danger. "Please Issei! I love you! Please save me!"

The other members of the Peerage tensed, waiting to see what Issei's reaction would be. The teen grimaced, looking like his heart was breaking all over again at Raynare's pleading. After a moment, Issei sighed, "I can't even have good memories now. Buchou...just end it."

Rias nodded, summoning up a sphere of red and black energy, causing Raynare to pale. Rias' face was stern as she gazed at the beaten Fallen, "Stop breaking my precious servant's heart!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Rias unleashed the blast, striking Raynare hard with it. It wasn't an explosion or something as showy as that, but everything the blast hit just seemed to stop existing. Raynare's body vanished in the haze of the blast. When it died out, all that remained were floating black feathers.

"Goodbye...Yuuma…" Issei sighed, dropping his head.

In the gloom of the church, a sparkling green orb appeared in the wake of Raynare's death. Rias stepped forward and retrieved it, revealing it to be a pair of silver rings which were adorned with a leaf-like decoration. When they landed in her hands, Rias gently gazed at Issei, "Let's return these, shall we?"

"Yeah…"

Rias brought the rings and gave them to Issei as the group moved back to Asia's body. The perverted boy showed a remarkable amount of class as he slipped the rings onto her fingers before letting them rest on her chest again.

"I'm sorry Asia…" Issei wept, letting the tears fall from his cheeks. "I tried so hard...brought so much help to save you...and I still couldn't do it!"

"Issei," Mike sighed. He wasn't too sure what to say, but what could one say to someone who was hurting like Issei was? "Issei, you managed to keep the Fallen from desecrating her and you returned something precious which was taken. In that sense, you saved what made her pure and unique."

"Yeah...but...but…" Issei sniffed. "There was so much...she wanted to try, wanted to see in the world. I...I promised we'd go see it. I'd show her everything. She just...she just wanted a friend!"

"Well, I suppose there is one thing we can do," Rias stepped forward. Reaching into her pocket, she produced what at first glance seemed like a red chess piece, a bishop to be precise. "Do you know what this is, Issei?"

"A...Bishop?" asked Issei, blinking at the item.

"Yes, one of my Evil Pieces to be precise," Rias explained. She nodded to Kiba who gently picked up Asia before placing her body on the ground. "Bishops are the pieces which are support units to the rest of the Peerage. It would be a good spot for her healing abilities." She stepped up to Asia's body and placed the Evil Piece on her chest, causing a magic circle to appear underneath the nun.

"Ah, the Devil Reincarnation Ritual," Villetta nodded, eyeing the circle with scholastic intrigue. "Not many humans have seen it happen before. This is a rare opportunity."

"You mean...you can bring Asia back?!" Issei gasped.

"I usually don't try to bring back the dead, but in this case I will make an exception," Rias continued as she stepped up to the circle to begin the process. " _I, Rias Gremory, hereby decree that Asia Argento shall have her soul returned to walk the earth once more as a Devil in servitude to me!_ "

The Evil Piece began to shine before it sank into Asia's body, spreading a red glow over her form as the magic circle began to shine even brighter than before.

" _Rejoice in your new life as my Bishop!_ "

Asia's body flashed and the magic circle died down, leaving her as peaceful as she had been a moment ago. Issei and Mike waited with baited breath to see if ritual worked, hoping the innocent nn would have her chance at a new life. After a moment, Asia trembled and mumbled as if she was waking up from a deep sleep. Sitting up, she blinked in confusion as she looked around, spotting Issei, "Uh...Issei-san? What…?"

"Asia!" Issei cried, lunging for Asia and hugging her tightly.

"Ah! Issei-san?!" Asia gasped, blushing slightly.

Rather than be perverted as one might expect him to be, Issei was just warmly hugging Asia, glad to see her alive and healthy again, "Asia...let's go home."

The blonde nun blinked, but began smiling at the warmth and welcoming in Issei's voice. Blushing slightly, she returned his emotional hug with one of her own, "Yes."

"Well, all's well that ends well," Mike grinned at the scene. "Still, I've got a date with a bottle of Tylenol back home. I think we all need some rest after a night like tonight."

"I wholeheartedly agree," Rias nodded. She bowed slightly to Mike, "Thank you for your assistance tonight Lord Summers. It was most appreciated."

"Ah, forget about it. What are friends for?" Mike laughed. "Besides, fighting Heretic Gods is part of my job description anyway."

"Let us depart then," Villetta spoke up, replacing her glasses on her face. "Although there were privacy spells set up, I don't want to be here longer than necessary in case that disgusting exorcist or any of his friends who managed to escape are coming back for round two."

"Oh my, if they do I'd be happy to _show_ them the error of their ways," Akeno offered with a smile, but Mike couldn't help but feel a cloud of malice surrounding the Queen of Rias' Peerage when she said that.

"I feel like we've stepped into the presence of a true demon," Mike flinched.

"Oh, don't worry. That's just Akeno being Akeno," Kiba tried to reassure him, but he failed miserably.

(LINE BREAK)

 **Occult Research Clubroom**

Another day dawned and progressed, once more bringing the members of the Occult Research Club together. Mike, although not a member, was no exception as he approached the old school building. His body ached a little from the blows he took from Siegfried and how he pushed his body during the fight, but his head wasn't in pain anymore and that was the important part.

Reaching the clubroom, Mike opened the door, "Hey guys, feel like letting me hang out?"

"You're always welcome Lord Summers," Rias welcomed, standing at her desk with Issei and Asia in the room. Mike was quick to notice that Asia was dressed in a Kuoh Academy uniform of her own.

"Hey Asia," Mike greeted to the former nun. "How are you feeling?"

Asia flushed, her cheeks red but she conjured up the willpower to respond, "Um...I'm doing well Your Majesty. Thank you for asking. Oh!" she turned and bowed deeply to Mike, incidentally flashing her panties to Issei who was behind her, making the pervert grin. "I want to humbly thank you from the bottom of my heart for your role in rescuing me! I don't know how, but I'll repay the favor you've done me somehow!"

"Maa, maa," Mike chuckled, using the Japanese way of speech. "You don't have to worry about that Asia-chan. If you really want to repay me though, just make sure you make a lot of friends and explore everything about the world you wanted to know about. You've got a new family who will watch your back so don't let this chance slip by."

Asia stood straight and beamed, "Of course! I'll do as you ask!"

Mike grinned again, but then stopped when he felt an ominous sensation akin to killing intent stabbing at him. Glancing over his shoulder he saw Issei with the Boosted Gear clenched glaring at him, "You'd better not plan on having Asia in your harem!"

"Issei, we talked about this! I'm not building a harem!" Mike sighed.

"That's not what your uber-hot secretary said!" Issei snapped back, pointing at Mike accusingly.

"Hey, Villetta can say it as much as she likes but I'm not gonna build a harem!"

"Then you're a traitor to mankind! The penalty is death!"

"Hey, who's the Supreme King? Just try and bring it perv!"

"Oh, it's on now bastard!"

Issei lunged at Mike and the two began to grapple, trying to bring one another down in a show of force. Mike had the advantage at first, but then Issei Boosted and it became a closer match. Asia watched the tussle, fearing her first friend was going to anger one of the Supreme Kings while Rias just giggled at the antics of her Pawn and her ally.

"Ara ara," Akeno smiled as she pushed a trolley into the room, topped with a splendid strawberry cake welcoming Asia into their club. Behind her were Koneko and Kiba, both of them blinking at the small brawl between Campione and Devil. "Are Issei and Lord Summers performing a floorshow?"

"It seems that way," Rias giggled daintily. "Shall we pass out the cake while they play? It's time for Asia's welcoming party after all."

"Of course. Welcome to the club Asia!"

"Happy to be here," Asia beamed.

Meanwhile Issei and Mike continued to brawl while everyone received slices of the cake.

 **To Be Continued …**

 **Campione Report: Michael Summers' New Authority**

 **The King's Steed:** _By the trial of th_ _e river Busiltjörn, show me the one worthy to be my steed. Show me the one sired by Sleipnir, the steed who shall above else be worthy of being the mount of a king!_

This Authority allows the user to summon the legendary Grani, the horse whom was a part of Siegfried's legend. Grani, as a Divine Beast in himself being part of Siegfried's power, is many times stronger, faster, and more enduring than any other horse on earth could dream of being. More than that, since Grani is a descendant of Odin's war horse Sleipnir, Grani is able to traverse long journeys in a fraction of the time and so long as he is running, there is nothing which can stop him. Every obstacle which would normally stop a regular horse will simply move aside or somehow be removed for Grani.


	4. When it Rains, It Pours

**I do not own High School DxD, Code Geass, or Campione! I am only writing this for fun and for no other reason. If you don't like it then please go and find something more suitable to your tastes because I will not change my stories to try and please everyone. For those of you willing to continue, I hope you all enjoy.**

 **God Slayer DxD**

 **By Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Chapter 4: When it Rains, it Pours**

The days since the struggle at the church proved to be relaxing ones, which Mike and his friends in the ORC were thankful for since after that much excitement they all needed a little bit of time off. Asia had begun going to classes at Kuoh and was proving to be very popular. Of course, some of the most vocal about how cute she was came from Issei's fellow pervs. The biggest hubbub came from when it was discovered that Asia was living with Issei of all people, outraging the male population and putting the female population into high alert, wanting to make sure Issei didn't try anything. Not that Issei was _that_ desperate for some action despite popular opinion. Asia was just too pure for that kind of treatment.

That morning in particular, Mike was in a vacant lot, unused by anyone. He was alone for a change, not even Villetta nearby to watch over him. He was simply standing in the middle of the lot and had his eyes closed in deep concentration.

" _Deep within the earth, my reign grows onward. My wealth swells, my treasures increase, all for the prosperity of my kingdom. The vaults are locked to all but me and now I shall open the doors and bask in the radiant glow!_ "

The ground rumbled and splintered as his Authority activated, but Mike didn't immediately summon spears, gems or any of the common implements which he was normally able to call. Instead, he lifted his hands and brought them together like he was holding a ball of clay. Twisting his hands, his eyes still closed in thought, he focused on the image he intended to create. Before him, the ground seemed to churn and groan with the movements of his hands.

It had begun as a simple exercise to get used to how **The King's Treasury** worked and to see what he was capable of doing with it. It had eventually given him an idea of doing something to perhaps placate the anger of the Heretic Gods who he defeated. So with a lot of practice and some determination, an exercise turned into something of a post-battle ritual.

Mike opened his eyes and the ground splintered, letting his little project rise up. It stood about as tall as Mike's thighs, but it was a beautifully rendered statue of Siegfried with his sword in his hands, the tip on the ground. He stood on a rounded base and carved on the base was a small dedication, ' _To my Honored and Revered Foe._ '

"Whew," Mike sighed. Walking to the statue, he picked it up with ease and began walking back to his apartment. A short elevator ride and he was back on the top floor where he and Villetta lived. He walked over to one of the spare rooms which hadn't been occupied before opening it.

Inside was a room with a large pedestal which took up the far wall, looking out to the window which brought in a large amount of sunlight. The pedestal was adorned with flowers, false ones but still flowers, and there was a lot of open space on it. Also placed on the pedestal was a statue of King Solomon, standing tall and wise in the same image Mike remembered him bearing when they fought, albeit a little more regal than during their encounter. The base of his statue had the same words as Siegfried's, ' _To my Honored and Revered Foe_.'

"There we go," Mike grunted, setting the Siegfried statue down next to the Solomon one, allowing it to look out into the bright blue sky next to its comrade.

"Finished your memorial, Lord Summers?" asked Villetta, appearing in the doorway.

"Yeah, just finished," Mike nodded, checking the new statue for imperfections before stepping down from the platform.

"You know, no Campione before has gone out of their way to remember their enemies like you do," the knight commented as Mike approached her.

"Maybe, but if I show I respect the gods then at least they'll have one less reason to hate me," Mike reasoned, walking past Villetta for the kitchen so he could grab a glass of water.

"Some may consider it you keeping score," his knight retorted, crossing her arms.

"Maybe, but I can't please everyone," Mike shrugged, filling a cup before taking a sip. "By the way, have you heard back from the Whitengamont yet?"

After the incident with the Fallen Angels and Siegfried, Villetta had made a full report to the Whitengamont, warning about a possible coup or offensive push made by the Grigori, the organization founded by the Fallen. She recommended that all known Sacred Gear users be either watched or placed in protective custody depending on how rare and/or valuable they were. They had been waiting for a reply since magi weren't exactly the most technologically competent people around. They still dealt with paper and messengers instead of email and cell phones.

"Actually, yes I did," Viletta answered, pulling a sheet of paper from her pocket. "They'll take our suggestions into consideration and since you're advocating those measures they'll likely be put into place. One thing they did ask though is that we, meaning you unofficially, go examine the church in case the Fallen left any clues behind as to their intentions."

"Kind of late for that don't you think?" asked Mike. "The Grigori or whoever was ordering them around had to have cleared out anything, much less the cops when someone noticed all the damage done."

"Not so," Villetta shook her head. "A privacy barrier was placed around the church so no mundane humans would go near it. Those don't vanish overnight even if the ones maintaining it have been dead for a week. If the Grigori or the other Fallen had come to clean up anything then your senses would have at least picked them up."

"Well, in that regard it has been quiet," Mike frowned. "Nothing divine at least."

"Then we can investigate and probably have a good chance of finding something," Villetta agreed. "I suggest we head out immediately. That way we still have daylight to work in and we can finish early so we can come back and have a nice romantic evening together after you go through profiles of several potential agents I think you'll like."

It was a good thing Mike wasn't sipping his water at the moment, otherwise he would have choked. Instead, he grunted and sent a level stare at his knight, "Villetta...we've been through this. I'm not collecting a harem! Who do you take me for, Issei?!"

"And I always say that you need a collection of agents to help you in your goals," Villetta argued back. "If they're a bevy of beautiful women who all adore you like I do, then all the better."

"Again with the magi association bit," Mike groaned. What would he need his own secret group for? Just because other Campione had one like Luo Hao and Black Prince Alec it didn't mean that he needed one for himself. What would he use it for? It wasn't like he had some grand ambition or something.

Mike shook his head, "Whatever, I'm not arguing about this again. Let's head to that church and see what we find before moving on with our days."

"Very well," Viletta nodded, but Mike knew that the conversation was far from over despite how heatedly he'd deny Villetta's suggestions. He knew she was trying to wear him down.

He wouldn't cave. He wouldn't become another Issei.

(LINE BREAK)

The duo of Campione and his knight travelled to the abandoned church for their mission. When they reached the front gate, the stopped when they saw a woman walking her dog beside it. She turned to look at the church, but then suddenly stiffened before she started hurrying along like she had remembered something important.

"Well, at least the wards which keep the mundane out are still active," Villetta observed as the woman left. "Odd though. I would have expected them to take a little longer to take effect since the ones powering them are now gone. Perhaps they tied it to a leyline?"

"Your department more than mine. I just fight gods," Mike shrugged. "Still, we've got a job to do so let's get going before we attract the wrong kind of attention."

They stepped through the gates and walked up to the church. All the damage from the battles with Siegfried and the Fallen were still there. Likely it would remain until the wards keeping the mundane out fell and someone would finally notice that what looked like a small war had gone on in the property. Mike was just thankful that the church had been abandoned rather than in use. He didn't need the Vatican breathing down his neck.

"Well, let's do this," Mike sighed, grabbing the wooden door and opening it with a loud creak. "Okay, I'll go-!"

*SHING!*

"WOAH!" Mike cried, seeing a spear of light firing towards him. He pulled the door shut, allowing the spear to crash through it and get stuck. It remained for a moment before it fizzled out, allowing the duo to see inside the church.

"Get away! Get away or I'll kill you! I swear I will!" a female voice shrieked from the inside.

Mike frowned and peered inside the hole to spot someone standing at the altar. She looked to be a teenager, albeit on the petite side. She had what remained of a short-skirted gothic lolita dress, but it was torn, stained, and portions of the skirt and one shoulder were missing, exposing some of her frilly white underwear. She had blonde hair in twin pigtails, but it was dirty and unkept. Her face could have been pretty with nearly cat-like eyes, but she had bags under her eyes and she had a snarl on her lips. Sprouting from her back were a pair of black wings, but they looked to be in bad shape, like they had lost a bunch of feathers in a hurry. In her hand was another spear of light as she glared almost crazily at the doors Mike and Villetta were behind.

"Lord Michael, I recognize her," Villetta hissed in whisper. "She's one of the Fallen Miss Gremory and Miss Himejima split off from us to deal with that night."

"Huh. Thought Rias wasted them all," Mike frowned. "Obviously not."

"So what should we do?" asked Villetta.

Mike gnawed on his lip for a moment before he decided to try things out in the peaceful way first, "We're not here to hurt you! We're just investigating why you were here! Just calm down! We just want answers!"

"Bullshit!" the Fallen shrieked back, hurling another spear which stuck in the door, forcing Mike and Villetta to back off again. "I wasn't born yesterday! I know you're here under orders from Kokabiel to kill us loose ends!"

"Kokabiel?" Mike frowned. He looked to Villetta. "He's one of the higher ups in the Grigori, right?"

"The only one higher is Azazel," Villetta nodded. "Perhaps these Fallen were working under his orders?"

"Maybe," Mike frowned, not liking the implications to the distressed Fallen's words. Steeling himself, he peeked through another hole. "Listen, we're not Fallen or with the Grigori! I'm the Eighth Campione! I'm not here to kill anyone, but if you throw another spear I will take steps to neutralize you!"

There was silence for a moment and Mike watched the teenage Fallen glare at him like she was analyzing something. Mike waited with baited breath for a few moments as the Fallen began glancing back to a door where the priest's quarters would be. After another minute of that, she lowered her spear.

"If you're a Campione, that means you've got access to all kinds of resources, right? Healing magic and crap like that?" she asked.

"I know some people who can hook me up," Mike called back. "You going to let us in?"

More silence before the Fallen replied, "Fine! You get me what I want and I'll tell you anything you want!"

Mike and Viletta nodded to one another before they opened the doors to the church, stepping inside. They got a better look at the Fallen and saw that she was panting, leaning against a broken cross and obviously exhausted.

"Okay, what is it you need?" Mike asked.

"Not for me," the girl replied. "Follow me."

The blonde Fallen stumbled down some steps before reaching the priest's quarters and stepping inside. Mike and Viletta followed, ending up in a small room/office which had large empty bookcases against the walls and a simple bed. On the bed though was an image of heaven and hell blended.

Laying on the bed was a naked woman, obviously gifted in all areas feminine and had long silky black hair and what was once a pretty face. However, her body was covered in blackened burns which marred her physical beauty and her heavy breathing made it obvious that the burns still hurt despite having gotten them a week ago.

"Oh my god," Mike grimaced at the sight while Villetta gasped.

"Nnn," the woman groaned. Opening her one good eye, she looked to the teen Fallen. "Mittelt...what did...you…?"

"I...I got us help Kalawarner!" the girl, Mittelt insisted, dashing to her fellow Fallen's side. "Now you can get better! He's not with the Grigori so we're safe for now!"

"Mitt…" the woman groaned, but went slack as she passed out, obviously weak like her friend.

Mike was snapped from his shock at the sight and quickly turned to his knight, "Villetta, I don't care who you have to call or what favors you have to burn up. Get an expert on healing Devil-inflicted wounds back to our place! Tell them the Eighth demands it if you have to! I want help for this woman now!"

"Yes Mi'lord!" Villetta nodded, quickly pulling out her cell phone and beginning to dial up contacts who might be able to help.

(LINE BREAK)

 **Mike's Apartment**

It was amazing what the word of a Campione could bring.

Villetta had made contact with the History Compilation Committee, a group which was formed to manage supernatural events in Japan and ensure the mundane people didn't find out about them. When Villetta said that the Eighth demanded on expert on healing Devil wounds for a Fallen, they scrambled three of the best they had, all of which who ironically lived in or near the Kuoh region. They converged on the church and they quickly got to work, first cleansing Kalawarner's wounds of residual Devil energy before setting to work on healing the burns.

It was a lengthy process, but once the female Fallen was safe to move, Mike had the group bring her back to his apartment where they set her up in a spare bedroom for the three priestesses to finish their work. After an hour, the leader of the trio reported as her co-workers began packing up.

"We have done as much as we can," she reported. "The rest is up to the Fallen Angel. Her naturally strong regenerative powers should be able to heal the rest of the damage, but she will likely be weak for some time."

"Okay," Mike nodded, escorting the three to the door. "Thank you for your quick response and hard work. I'll keep the HCC in mind when I need help while I'm in Japan."

"Thank you for your efforts in keeping our lands safe during your stay," the priestess bowed back before she and her comrades left.

"Whew," Mike sighed. The three women tried to hide it, but he could tell that they were as nervous as hell with having a Campione so close to them while they were working. They couldn't leave fast enough. It made for an awkward feeling in the air to say the least. Still, it served to help Kalawarner and Mittelt so he couldn't complain. With one job done, he turned back for the living room where his knight and the younger Fallen were sitting.

Villetta was sitting in a chair while Mittelt was on the couch, wearing a fluffy white bathrobe and her hair down while she ate out of several containers of takeout at a pace only professional eaters could match without puking. She didn't even stop when Mike took a seat across from her in one of his kitchen chairs, the back facing front. After she finished the container, he coughed politely to catch her attention.

"Feeling better?" he asked rhetorically.

"Hell yeah," Mittelt sighed, leaning back as she chewed a wonton before gulping it down. "Man did I ever need that."

"You looked like you needed it," Mike nodded. He rested his arms on the back of his chair before resting his chin on them. "Okay, I came through with my end of things. Care to answer my questions now?"

"Don't have much of a choice, now do I?" asked Mittelt, crossing her arms. "Ask away."

Villetta cut in, asking first, "How did you manage to survive Gremory-san's attack?"

"Pure luck," Mittelt sighed. "Dohnaseek took the blast head on and got incinerated. Kalawarner got grazed and that was how she got fucked up. Me, I got blown back by the shockwave and got knocked out. When I woke up I found Kalawarner and after tearing a bunch of feathers out of our wings to make it seem like we were dead, I stashed her in the church after you guys left. I couldn't leave her alone and leaving would have meant exposing myself to trouble. This is a Devil's turf after all."

"Makes sense," Mike shrugged. One question answered, it was time to get to the meat and potatoes of the argument. "Since this is a Devil's turf though, what the hell were you four doing here and doing crap like stealing Sacred Gears in the first place?"

"It wasn't our idea! It was that bitch Raynare who ordered all that to happen!" Mittelt snapped back.

"Explain," Mike insisted, sensing a story coming.

Mittelt huffed, "Raynare got us together saying Azazel-sama ordered us to go and keep an eye on that perverted kid. Said he had some kind of badass Sacred Gear that we'd need to keep an eye on in case it went berserk."

"Considering Issei-san turned out to be holding the Boosted Gear, it was a valid concern," Villetta nodded.

Mittelt blinked, obviously shocked, "Seriously?! Raynare said it was a Twice Critical!"

"She was wrong, obviously not one who can be called an expert in Sacred Gears," Mike shrugged. "Okay, so you four were called in to keep an eye on Issei in case he accidentally activated Boosted Gear and he went nuts because of it. How'd it change to orders to execute him and try to steal Sacred Gears from others?"

Mittelt sighed, but began to fume, "A while after the assignment started, Raynare came back with new orders we thought were from Azazel-sama. Said that the kid was too dangerous and we had to take him out by either killing him or taking the Sacred Gear. Raynare said the kid was useless so she tried killing him. You know the clusterfuck that turned into."

"Yeah, he got turned into a Devil," Mike nodded. "And the mess with Asia?"

"More orders said to secure powerful Sacred Gears for our side," Mittelt shrugged. "Everyone knows Azazel-sama's a nut for researching Sacred Gears and the orders were authenticated so we figured they were legit and got to work." she dropped her chin into her hands with a huff. "Then you showed up and we got Siegfried to cover our asses but then everything got fucked up."

"One way to describe it," Mike nodded. "Okay, so why was it when we arrived you sounded like you were expecting Kokabiel or someone under him to be trying to kill you? Care to explain that?"

"Yeah, the fucker faked the orders we thought were from Azazel-sama," Mittelt snarled. "The sick fuck wanted us to get Sacred Gears for him to use as weapons so the war between the Three Factions can start up all over again! He ordered Raynare to kill the pervert since he had Boosted Gear and he didn't want anyone to stop his precious Divine Dividing we had stashed away!"

"The Grigori have the user of the Divine Dividing?!" Villetta gasped. "The one Sacred Gear which can match the power of Boosted Gear?!"

Mittelt blinked, but then huffed, "Ah, fuck. I wasn't supposed to say that."

Mike frowned, "I assume this Sacred Gear divides strength instead of boosting it like Boosted Gear does?"

"Yes," Villetta nodded, "And it has the soul of Albion, the White Dragon Emperor sealed inside. Much like Boosted Gear holds the Red Dragon Emperor, Ddraig. Dragons so powerful even the forces of Paradiso and Inferno knew better than to cross them. Both are noted to be fierce rivals and are driven to fight whenever they appear."

"So that's why Kokabiel ordered Issei killed instead of trying to take Boosted Gear away," Mike frowned. "No way Ddraig would work on the same side as Albion." Mike sighed. "Okay, so Kokabiel ordered you guys to destroy Boosted Gear and start swiping Sacred Gears for the Grigori. Is the reason why as obvious as I think?"

"Duh. Kokabial wants the war to start again," Mittelt grunted. "He's always trying to convince the other higher ups that it's time we start fighting again. We've got the edge this time or so he says. I guess he got tired of trying to get Azazel-sama to go along with it."

"And how do you know Kokabiel faked the orders?" asked Mike.

"I raided Raynare's room looking for something to eat or to help Kalawarner," Mittelt scowled. "Right there on her desk, plain as day, were messages from Kokabiel which said they had the fake orders sealed inside. Wrote them up like love letters so that fucking slut Raynare would fall all over herself to make sure she obeyed. Shoulda figured something was up when she started getting all giddy about getting the nun."

"Like she was about to find the perfect gift for her lover or something?" Mike guessed, prompting Mittelt to nod. "Well shit. We're in a fine mess this time."

"Indeed," Viletta agreed. "Kokabiel, one of the most powerful of the Fallen is possibly attempting to restart a conflict between the Three Factions. This was likely just trying to collect resources and deal with a possible opponent. His plan to actually start the conflict likely hasn't begun yet."

"Which means we have time to prepare for it, or a chance to even stop it," Mike frowned, but then looked to Mittelt again. "Is there any way you can get me into contact with Azazel?"

"What!?" Mittelt cried.

"Lord Michael!" Villett gasped.

"Look, we don't have much of a choice here," Mike explained, sitting up. "Kokabiel is working behind the scenes to try and start war. Obviously Azazel isn't okay with that or else Kokabiel wouldn't have to falsify his orders to fool the other Fallen. If we don't stop him soon then we may be looking at a war the world can't survive!"

"R-right," Mittelt gulped. "U-um...I think I might know a way. W-we generally use it to contact each other but we can only contact each other if we have the right words for it."

"Do you know the way to contact Azazel then?" asked Mike.

"Maybe," Mittelt answered. "Just rumor really since he doesn't really answer his own calls. It's usually Braquiel or Shemhazai that takes calls like that."

"Well it's going to have to be Azazel himself since we don't know who else Kokabiel has on board," Mike grimaced.

"Right. Just a sec," Mittelt hopped to her feet and walked to an open part of the apartment. Lifting a finger, it began to shine with light which she began writing a complex magic circle which hung in the air. After the circle was complete, the center of it began to shine before it rippled like water and formed a window-like imade into what looked like some kind of lab.

"Uh...Azazel-sama?" asked Mittelt.

"Just a sec! Just a sec! Don't hang up!" A figure shouted before a crash was heard with some cussing. After the crashing died down, a man in a red jacket with a bit of his chest exposed stepped in front of the image. He had black hair with blonde bangs with a black goatee. Although he looked like he was in his twenties, Mike could feel the divine power coming off of him even through the circle. He panted like he had been running before grinning, "Okay, what's up?"

"Uh…" Mittelt blinked, unsure if she was really talking to her leader. "Um...I'm with a Campione that wants to get into contact with you."

"Seriously?" the man grinned, a gleam in his eye but then he got suspicious. "He doesn't want to kill me for an Authority does he? I'm not taking flak for my Heretic God twin anymore."

"No, no I don't," Mike interrupted and stepped out where Azazel could see him. "I'm here in Kuoh and some recent events have brought up information that you _really_ need to know about."

"Oh yeah?" Azazel raised an eyebrow, looking at Mike in scientific interest. "What info?"

"I can't tell you like this," Mike shook his head. "Is there anyplace we can meet up, preferably where we won't be overheard by supernatural agents?"

"Oh, _that_ kind of info," Azazel frowned. "Okay, I know a spot. It's a nice little ramen joint. Devil's Ramen Joint. It's near Kuoh Academy. Know the place?"

"Seen it a few times," Mike nodded, recalling one of the restaurants he'd seen his fellow students flock to when they had a chance.

"Meet me there in one hour," Azazel replied. "And let' s keep the funny business to a minimum, shall we?"

"I will if you will," Mike nodded.

"Good. See you then," Azazel nodded before the image faded and the circle disappeared.

After a moment, Mike shrugged, "Well, that was easier than I thought."

"I would have thought that considering his position Azazel would be more wary about being called to meetings with people not associated with the Grigori," Villetta agreed.

Mittelt shrugged, "He's a research nut. Sacred Gears are his obsession, but Campione are a close second. I guess he sees it as a chance to examine one without them trying to kill him thinking he's a Heretic God or something."

"Explains the Heretic God Twin part he mentioned," Mike nodded. He then turned to leave the apartment. "Okay, I've got a meeting to go to. Wish me luck."

"Good luck."

"Your funeral."

"You're so encouraging," Mike sarcastically tossed back over his shoulder to Mittelt, making her smirk.

(LINE BREAK)

 **Devil's Ramen Joint**

The ramen joint was a small point which catered mostly to the students of Kuoh Academy, although adults who were looking for a quick meal would stop by for something to eat. Considering the spicy flavor though, it was a good place with good atmosphere so it was reasonably popular. When Mike arrived, it was relatively full as usual.

"Okay, now where is he?" Mike sighed, trying to look for Azazel's unique hair color. It shouldn't have been too hard to spot him…

"Hey Eighth! Over here!" Mike looked to the front bar counter and sure enough, there was the leader of the Fallen Angels himself, sans wings, slurping down a bowl of ramen while waving to the front door.

Blinking at the somewhat indignant sight, Mike made his way to the man and sat down next to him, "So, Azazel, right? Kind of an odd choice of venue for a meeting like this."

"Ah, don't let the name fool ya. This place is one hundred percent mundane," Azazel finished his bowl. "Ah! Another one Rin-chan! And one for my friend too!"

"You got it!" the girl tending the counter beamed.

"If you say so," Mike chuckled, unable to do anything but relax in the Fallen's presence. "Sorry this meeting has to be about something serious though."

"Eh, what can you do?" Azazel shrugged as the waitress brought to fresh bowls of ramen over for the two. "So lay it on me. What was so important that you actually asked one of my people to directly contact me?"

Mike poked at his ramen, trying to get his hands on the chopsticks right so he could eat, "Well, you know that squad you sent down here to keep an eye on Issei in case Boosted Gear activated and he couldn't handle it?"

"Ah, boy did that turn into a mess," Azazel grimaced. "Raynare was always eager to please but she sure screwed the pooch on this one. Glad the kid's okay though. The Gremory are good people to serve, especially the little heiress. He's probably happy with the fact she's such a babe anyway."

"Doesn't stop him from trying for the harem ending," Mike grunted, causing Azazel to chuckle almost knowingly, like he knew exactly what Issei was going for. If stories about Azazel in the Book of Enoch were right, he likely knew it all too well. "Anyway, the Whitengamont asked me to look into their base for clues to see why they went on their little killing spree for Sacred Gears. I found Mittelt and Kalawarner still alive and managed to get them some help."

"Really? Well thanks for that," Azazel grinned, slurping down more noodles. "I hate having to send my people on missions where they could end up dying but the world isn't exactly fair, you know?"

"Yeah," Mike nodded. "Anyway, according to Mittelt, Raynare suddenly received new orders from you to kill Issei and start harvesting Sacred Gears for the Grigori."

"What? I wouldn't order that," Azazel frowned. "Things are tense enough and Heaven and the Underworld would think I was hoarding weapons for an offensive if they heard of this."

"Yeah, but get this: the orders were falsified by Kokabiel and Raynare knew it," Mike continued. "Kokabiel fed her some love poetry and she was ready to kill even an innocent nun if it meant giving him a Sacred Gear for his war efforts. Mittelt found Kokabiel's letters in Raynare's room revealing that much."

Azazel frowned before taking more noodles. After he took a moment to savor it, he swallowed and sighed, "Well shit. He always was the one trying to push the offensive back on the other factions. Do you have the letters?"

"Still at the church they used as a base," Mike replied. "Kalawarner needed medical attention and I didn't know they were there until I asked Mittelt what the deal with the operation was."

"I'll drop by myself and see if I can't find them," Azazel frowned. "Dammit, and in the middle of some promising experiments too! How's a guy supposed to perfect his hobbies when he's got so much political backstabbing going on?"

"Thus is leadership," Mike shrugged, finally getting some noodles of his own. "At least humans don't try to stab me in the back since they're afraid I'll level a town or two with my Authorities."

"Yeah, those were the days," Azazel chuckled before finishing off his bowl in several gulps. "A shame how times change."

"I wouldn't know yet," Mike shrugged. "Speaking of politics, do you want to keep this on the DL or should I get Rias to talk to the Devil leaders and warn them about a possible splinter group?"

"I'd appreciate it if you kept it quiet for now. If the need comes I'll warn them myself," Azazel answered. Standing up, he sighed, "Anyway, I'd better get moving before one of my rogue agents gets rid of the evidence. Take care of the tab for me will ya?"

"Huh?" Mike looked up, but Azazel was already heading out the door. The waitress then planted herself in front of Mike and presented the bill, making for an impressive number.

"Damn Fallen," Mike growled, but reluctantly reached for his wallet. "He really is evil!"

(LINE BREAK)

After dealing with Azazel's tab and swearing to get back at the Fallen for it at some point, Mike decided that the responsible thing to do was report in to Rias about his new houseguests. While he would keep the bit about Kokabiel's conspiracy secret for the time being, he felt it would be a good idea to let Rias know he had two Fallen Angels crashing at his place for the time being. Although Rias did have a level head, he could easily picture her going on the warpath if she found out that two of the Fallen who threatened Asia and Issei were still alive.

The school day was over, Mike having skipped on account of his request from the Wizengamont and the chaos that kicked up after that. Waiting for the meeting with Azazel and then paying his tab just ate up the last hour before school ended. By the time he arrived at Kuoh Academy, most of the students were gone save for the ones with long-running clubs, the student council, and some teachers.

Sticking his hands in his pockets, Mike travelled to the old school building. The miasma around it was as strong as ever, telling Mike that the ORC as probably there and in a meeting. Hoping he didn't catch them at a bad time, Mike traversed inside and up the stairs before reaching the ORC HQ. Grabbing the door, he announced himself, "Hey Rias, hope you've got time for a chess...match?"

Opening the door, Mike realized that his friends in the ORC were in fact in the middle of a meeting. In fact, they even had guests. Standing at attention at one side of the room was a beautiful woman with long gray hair done up in twin pigtails which reached her chest while the rest draped down her back. She wore the uniform of a maid, but not the sexy kind, but a functional and proper outfit a maid would wear in a noble household. The miasma came off of her in waves to Mike's senses, indicating that she was extremely powerful, Heretic God level or close to it.

The other person in the room was seated with Rias and to Mike, looked like he was attempting to feel her up under the disguise of just loving petting like fondling hair or touching a thigh. He was dressed in a burgundy suit which was undone enough to let some of his chest show. His face was narrow and handsome with golden blonde hair which reached his jaw, parting at his forehead with a bit of a fringe. His eyes were just as narrow, but there was obviously a gleam of greed and arrogance in them.

Almost as if a side note, the remaining members of the ORC were standing at the other side of the room at attention. Although of the group Issei looked like he wanted to bring out his Boosted Gear and slug the arrogant blonde across the face for laying his hands on Rias. The pervert was probably jealous the guy was laying his hands on the redhead before he could.

"O...kay," Mike blinked at the scene. "I seem to be interrupting something important..."

"Not at all Lord Summers," Rias smiled, brushing the man's hands off of her body before she stood up to greet him. It was more formal than their other interactions, making him think that the new guests were the kind of company who demanded such formalities. "It just a meeting concerning business within the Gremory Clan."

"Rias," the maid spoke up, frowning ever so slightly.

"Of course," Rias nodded. She approached Mike before gesturing to the maid, "Please allow me to introduce Grayfia Lucifurge, a maid in service to the Gremory Household and Queen to my brother Sirzechs' Peerage."

"A pleasure to meet you mi'lady," Mike bowed politely.

"You as well young man," Grayfia nodded back.

"And this man is Riser Phenix, third son of the Phenix clan and one who seeks my hand in marriage for the sake of the 72 Pillars," Rias continued, gesturing to the man on the couch who hadn't even stood up for the sake of politeness.

"Seeking you hand?" Riser smirked. "As far as I know, I already have that. All that is left to do is hold the wedding and go on the honeymoon."

"Bastard…" Issei growled under his breath.

Rias grit her teeth slightly, but she kept her composure as she turned to her guests, "Grayfia, Riser, I would like to introduce you both to Lord Michael Summers, slayer of the Heretic Gods Solomon and Siegfried, the Eighth Campione."

Grayfia stiffened slightly while Riser just scoffed, "So humans are calling themselves by noble titles now? They never cease to amuse me with how they try to make themselves seem important."

"Riser Phenix, you will hold your tongue," Grayfia spoke up, her voice stern. "This man did with his bare hands what it takes our greatest warriors to do with all of their skills and powers: Slay gods. He has earned his title of lordship and no Angel or Devil will contest it."

"Bah, surely it was luck," Riser scoffed.

"While I don't dismiss luck as a part of battle, having the skill to capitalize on it is just as important," Mike spoke up, glaring at Riser. "And I will not sit here and have my achievements belittled by some silver spoon-fed boy who likely hasn't fought a battle in his life."

Riser's smirk faded and he scowled back at Mike, "You-!"

"Riser! Enough!" Rias snapped. "I have managed to secure an alliance between my clan and the Eighth Campione. I will not have your ignorance and disrespectful attitude ruin that!"

"Indeed," Grayfia nodded, looking to Riser again. "If you jeopardize such an important alliance now, I will take matters into my own hands and chastise you before reporting your actions back to both families."

Riser grimaced, but took the maid's words seriously as he sat back and crossed his arms, impatiently waiting for Rias to be back in arm's reach again. Among the chaos, the other members of the ORC seemed to be amused at seeing Riser being chastised, but Asia and Issei probably didn't see how much of a goof-up the man was committing politically. Getting on the bad side of a Campione was considered suicide in nearly every form in supernatural circles. Mike huffed, glaring at the no doubt spoiled Devil for a few moments before he took a breath to calm himself.

"I seem to be interrupting something important," Mike sighed. "Would you prefer I excuse myself and we can have our chess match later?"

"Actually, I would ask you stay," Rias requested. "Perhaps having more outside parties will help keep our heads cooler for this meeting."

"As you wish," Mike nodded, "Provided no one else protests?" he looked to Grayfia and Riser and they made to attempt to say otherwise, although Riser did roll his eyes in agitation. Seeing he had the green light, Mike took a seat on a chair across from where Grayfia was standing while Rias sat next to Riser again

"While my dear Rias can bring all the friends she wishes, I hardly see what one human can offer that he gets such preferential treatment," Riser commented as Akeno served Mike a cup of tea. "I admit you must be powerful to slay gods, but that ability is a dime a dozen with us in the 72 Pillars."

"Yes, I do wonder," Mike rolled his eyes before taking a sip of tea. "Perhaps it is my inhuman durability or healing factor which allows me to continue fighting past what most humans and even some Devils can do. Perhaps my innate ability to have fortune favor me in my exploits, allowing me the edge in so many confrontations. Maybe it is my massive magical reserves which allow me to cast virtually any spell, even ones beyond only the best human mages and some even they cannot cast. Or maybe it is my ability to use the powers of the Heretic Gods and with each one I defeat, I only grow more powerful."

Riser frowned again, but Grayfia nodded, "Yes, several times Campione became involved during the Great War and served to deal grievous damage to all sides with their multitude of powers. Only when a Maou or Archangel were present was the damage mitigated, but in some cases the Campione was still able to escape or end the battles with terrible wounds to our leaders. The few times a Campione sided with us Devils were proven to be great boons and all three factions were quick to try and curry their favor should they be neutral."

"Surely your pride in our pure-blooded history should have afforded you this knowledge during your studies," Rias commented.

Riser frowned again, but he kept his reserve. Instead, he looked to Mike with what almost could be called a polite look, "Well, if my adorable Rias considers you an ally then I guess you and I shall see much more of each once she and I wed."

"Perhaps," Mike allowed, taking another sip. "Forgive me if I am mistaken, but it does not appear that Rias gets along with you very well."

"You're not. We don't," Rias frowned, smacking Riser's hand away from her bare thigh.

"Now Rias, you know that this marriage is for the good of the Pure Blood families," Riser smirked. "With all the new Devils being reincarnated from other races, it's threatening to tip the balance of power away from the Pillars. We have a duty to ensure the next generation of Pure Blooded Devils arrives, keeping our numbers up." His eyes narrowed. "Surely you do not intend for your family to face ruin by not doing your part?"

Rias all but scowled, "I will not risk my Clan's extinction by refusing to marry and produce another heir."

"So then you will-?" Riser began to grin.

"No. I will marry who _I_ wish to marry and no one else! And if I was not clear enough, that man will not be you Riser!" Rias exclaimed.

"I'm beginning to see the picture," Mike nodded, setting down his cup. "The Gremory and the Phenix have brokered an arranged marriage between their children, likely to ensure both their bloodlines remain strong. The problem however is that while Riser seems eager for this union, Rias has proven to be anything but and likely has been trying to get out of it. Am I wrong?"

"You are correct Lord Summers," Grayfia spoke up. "Fortunately, Lord Sirzechs proposed a solution should Rias continue to try and undermine the marriage brokered by her family."

"Of course he did," Rias huffed. "What has he planned?"

"A Rating Game," Grayfia replied. "A match between you and Riser to determine if the marriage will continue or be dissolved."

"I see," Riser grinned. "Well, I have no complaints since I have experience with such things," he grinned at Rias. "I must ask though Rias, are these servants here with you the extent of your Peerage?"

"And if they are?" Rias frowned.

"Then you are sorely at a disadvantage," Riser smirked before snapping his fingers.

At the far end of the room, an orange magic circle wrote itself into the floor before erupting in a blast of flame. Materializing in the middle of it all were fiteen girls, all of them beautiful in various ways. Some were loli, like the gym bloomer-clad twins while others were utter voluptuous like one with long purple hair and revealing regal clothes.

"As you can see," Riser smirked. "Unlike you I have a full set of servants to use and they all have experience in the Rating Games."

"Oh dammit!" Issei gaped, admiring the bevy of beauties which Riser had for a Peerage. "You mean this douchebag actually managed to collect a harem before I did?" The pervert suddenly broke in loud sobs. "This is so unfair!"

"Rias, why is your Pawn looking at me and crying at the same time?" Riser asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's his dream to collect a harem of gorgeous women like you have and it upsets him that you managed to beat him to it," Mike sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose.

"Ew. What a barbarian," a girl in a pink dress with her blonde hair done into ringlets grimaced.

"Shut up you traitor!" Issei sobbed at Mike. "You're the one with an Authority that can build a harem and won't use it so I don't want to hear any crap from you!"

"Will you just let that go already?!" Mike snapped back at Issei.

"Oh? Is that so?" Riser grinned. "Yubelluna?"

"Yes Riser-sama," the purple-haired woman in the regal and cleavage-barring sorceress clothes replied, stepping forward. She approached Riser before he tilted her chin and kissed her deeply, obviously using a lot of tongue in the process. If it weren't enough, he even groped her breasts, slipping the cloth away to reveal her bare breasts.

"You-you bastard!" Issei sobbed.

Rias all but growled and Mike had to admit that he was right there next to her. As far as he was concerned, it was a pretty blatant show of disrespect for Riser to kiss and make out with another woman right in front of his fiancée. Going so far as to even fondle her in a big show just made it even worse. Obviously Mike was right to think Riser being some spoiled brat, but said brat obviously didn't consider Rias more than just another woman to play with.

"Take a good long look you low-born Pawn," Riser smirked after breaking the kiss. "This is what a High Class Devil like me is granted while one like you can only dream about having such a thing!"

Mike frowned and glanced to Grayfia, "Ma'am, please tell me, is it considered proper in Devil culture to do such a thing in front of one's fiancée? Because what I see is a gross amount of disrespect from young Riser to his fiancée for all his talk about wanting to see this marriage come through. Does he really see Rias as nothing more than breasts that talk?"

"Exactly!" Rias grit her teeth.

"As the King of his Peerage, Riser is legally allowed to do whatever he wishes with his Peerage," Grayfia stiffly answered. Despite her words, her posture showed she was not liking the little show being put on either. "But it is considered bad form to do such things during a meeting such as this."

Riser snickered softly and released his flushed and aroused servant, letting her return to the group. Seeing order was restored, although Issei was holding up Boosted Gear and looking for a fight, Grayfia continued, "Riser has decided to allow Rias ten days to prepare for the Rating Game. Provided Rias agrees to it."

"Of course I do!" Rias snapped.

"Then we have an accord," Grayfia nodded, stepping next to Riser and his Peerage. "In ten days we will have the match. Prepare yourself Rias." With another flash of light, the group of Devils disappeared, leaving the ORC and their guest behind.

"That...that...that...YAKITORI!" Issei growled, clenching his fists in manly rage.

"What a douchebag," Mike growled. "Rias, is this his family's desperate attempt to make something respectable out of him? Considering his attitude, he has to be responsible for some kind of scandal for the Phenix Clan."

"There have been rumors, but nothing concrete," Rias frowned before signing tiredly. "But I'm under the same impression that his parents are sick of his playboy ways and this is their attempt to make him grow up."

"And the fact he made out with another woman right in front of you shows how _seriously_ he's taking this arrangement," Mike huffed. "He'll probably start cheating on you the moment the honeymoon's over."

"No doubt," Rias agreed. "I've tried pointing out his faults, but our families are more concerned about pureblood grandchildren than anything else and have refused to listen to me. At least my brother is willing to give me this opportunity to get out of it." Shaking her head, she turned to her Peerage, "Okay everyone! We have ten days to get into shape! We're going to begin training tomorrow so you'd better get ready!"

"Right!"

"I'll take my leave then," Mike sighed, standing up. His news about Mittelt and Kalawarner would have to wait for another time. "I'll see you guys in ten days then and hopefully with Rias free of that douchebag."

"Yeah! You bet your ass she will be!" Issei declared, something besides perversion burning in his eyes for a change.

"Looking forward to the big news then," Mike grinned, heading for the door.

Still, he was surprised at how his day was turning out. How much drama can happen in one day?

(LINE BREAK)

 **Mike's apartment**

"And that's what's going on with Rias," Mike explained, sipping on more tea as he sat with Villetta at the living room table.

"My, how surprising," Viletta blinked. "Arranged marriages are nothing new, but to have this sprung onto us so soon after the Fallen Angel incident. It feels like something out of a drama."

"No kidding," Mike nodded. "Speaking of, where's Mittelt? She tending to Kalawarner?"

"No, she's sleeping off all the food she ate and then worried herself deeply wondering what you and Azazel spoke about and how it might affect her," Mike's knight explained. "After that, I suggested she get some sleep and she's been out like a light since."

"Convenient," Mike nodded. "Now all that's left is something dramatic to happen to me and we can call it a day."

"Lord Michael, that only happens in television shows," Villetta chuckled.

"Knowing my luck, that's more than enough incentive for something to happen," Mike shrugged.

The pair made quiet conversation for a few more minutes before a sharp knock came to the door. It confused both Mike and Villetta since neither of them were expecting any visitors. Mike stood up and managed to get to the door first. Opening, he blinked at the person on the other side.

The person turned out to be a woman, obviously of European descent. she had fair skin and her eyes were a shade of pink while her hair was indigo of all colours. Her hair trailed down her back while her bangs hung on either side of her face and trailed down to her chest. Just behind her ears her hair was done into braids which wrapped around the back of her head and were tied at the back. She wore a royal red uniform which made her look like she was part of some military unit with gold ties running down the centre. On her feet she wore polished white boots which matched the white cape which hung over her shoulders. Needless to say she was beautiful, not needing much makeup beyond the purple lipstick she wore. She seemed to be around the same age as Villetta, which meant she was older than him.

"Um…" Mike blinked, admittedly stunned by her looks for a moment. "Can I...help you?"

"Lord Michael Summers, the Eighth Campione?" she asked, her voice stern but pretty, almost sounding like a military princess.

"Yes?" Mike nodded.

The woman nodded and bowed her head respectfully, "My name is Cornelia li Britannia. I am here to offer myself into your service."

 **To Be Continued...**


	5. Blood Ties

**I do not own Campione, High School DxD, or the elements of Code Geass that I chose to incorporate into this story. I am only writing this for fun and not for any sort of profit. If you do not like this story then you are free to leave it and find something more to your tastes. For those you that remain, I hope you continue to enjoy and support the story.**

 **God Slayer DxD**

 **By Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Chapter 5: Blood Ties**

"I'm sorry, but could you please repeat yourself?" Mike asked plainly.

It was a confused Michael that was sitting across from the woman named Cornelia as she sat quite regally across from him in the living room of his apartment. After she introduced herself at the door, an understandably confused Mike invited her in and she helped herself to tea while Mike tried to process what was going on as Villetta took the seat next to him.

"As I said, my name is Cornelia li Britannia," the new woman introduced herself a second time. "On behalf of the Britannia Family, I am here to offer myself into your service in whatever capacity you need of me."

"O...kay," Mike gulped. He glanced to Villetta, "The Britannia Family?"

"The Britannia Family are _the_ family of the British aristocracy within the supernatural circles," Villetta explained. "Their reach is long and influential, deep in all fields including politics, industry, military, and several fields of the supernatural. Their nobility is also beyond reproach. Were the entire Royal Family suddenly removed or otherwise, it would be the Britannias who would be first in line to take up their duties."

"Our bloodlines stem from a Campione, creating our noble name and we have strived to uphold that standard," Cornelia added. "With the advent of your ascension, we of the Britannia Family were hoping to enter your service and earn your favor."

"The Britannia Family has attempted to forge ties with each of the Campione that have appeared, but have had little success," Villetta explained as Mike glanced at her again. "Or rather, none."

Cornelia lanced a look at Villetta, an obviously scathing one. Mike however knew that it was an important fact and questioned, "I guess the current crop haven't been very receptive to your offers of allegiance."

"No," Cornelia frowned, but saw no choice but to explain. "When we contacted Marquis Voban, he proved...less than willing to participate the form of alliance we wished for."

Mike didn't doubt it. Villetta had described his eldest adopted brother and for all intents and purposes, the man was like a vicious wolf who sometimes acted like a man when the mood suited him. He would have just considered the Britannias' offers of an alliance to be bothersome since he didn't have much use of modern conveniences in his hunt for more Heretic Gods to fight and gain power from. When it came to people, it was do what he said or get the hell out of his way. Failure to do either meant death.

"Lady Luo Hao was likewise uninterested in an alliance, her having the Holy Cult of the Five Mountains to supply anything she would need that we could provide," Cornelia continued.

Mike's Chinese sister had two hundred years to fully establish and manage her organization. She probably had connections to just about every major player in China by the modern era. So there likely wasn't much which the Britannias could offer that she couldn't already get for herself. With how history was between the Chinese and the English, Mike wasn't sure if his sister would trust British nobility with anything in the first place.

"Madam Aisha has to date never responded to our messengers," Cornelia sighed.

The Arabic Campione, or The Queen of the Cave, had been living as a recluse for the longest time. There wasn't much information about her to be had other than a general location of where she might be found. Her intentions were so far, unclear and there wasn't much that could be offered when one wasn't sure what her ambitions were.

"Attempts to negotiate with Alexander Gasciogne likewise met with disappointment since he founded Royal Arsenal and promptly just took whatever he wanted from us instead of negotiating for it like we hoped," Cornelia bit out, obviously offended by the thefts from her family.

Villetta likely had the most to say about Black Prince Alec, him being one of the most public of the Campione. His entire organization was established to track down and uncover the Holy Grail. Of course, when faced with something that could help him or just because it captured his interest, Alec would often just steal the object. He'd then leave a note saying it was him that took it, or rather 'borrowed' it, and that he would return it when he was done with it. To date, he had yet to return anything he took.

"John Pluto Smith responded to our messengers, but turned us down saying he had no interest," Cornelia continued.

Mike's American sibling was of all things playing at being a superhero, fighting off the rogue magic groups which kept popping up in California, exiled from Europe for their disreputable magical practices. He was generally beloved by the people of Los Angeles, but no one had really known what he really looked like or if John Pluto Smith was his real name. He likely had serious connections though if he turned down the Britannias.

"Lord Salvatore Doni…" Cornelia began with a grimace.

"Enough said," Mike nodded.

Salvatore Doni was Mike's Italian adopted brother. He was without a doubt a genius when it came to swordplay, having killed his first Heretic God with just his sword skills alone. Outside of swordplay though, he was generally considered an idiot who would often leap into situations without thinking them through and would usually make a mess in the process. Most days he just lazed about or went looking for his next challenge. Likely the Britannia Family couldn't supply his next challenge so he would have no real interest in them. He sure didn't care about wealth, prestige, or material goods.

"And when we weren't being muscled out by the Copper-Black Cross, the Bronze-Black Cross, or the History Compilation Committee, Lord Kusanagi Godou has expressed little interest in creating a network of informants and suppliers for things he may need," Cornelia finished.

And there was Mike's Japanese sibling. Out of all of the Campione, Mike identified with him the most. Godou wished to live the ordinary life like he hadn't discovered Heretic Gods existed. He could be counted on to step up and defend Japan when he was needed, but he most definitely did not act like a Campione or King despite urgings from the agents from the three societies he dealt with trying to convince him otherwise.

"And there's me, the Eighth," Mike nodded, rubbing his chin. "I assume you're offering yourself is a new tactic since your family's previous attempts didn't net much success."

Cornelia tried hard to hide her grimace, "It is...a new approach my father decided on."

Mike could tell that it wasn't an approach she approved of. Still, he had a few more questions to ask before he decided on anything, "Alright then Ms. Cornelia, what is your realm of expertise? The branches of your family all have different specialties so I'd like to hear yours."

"Military," Cornelia answered, perking back up to her professional standard. "I have extensive training and experience in military tactics and missions both in the mundane and in the supernatural. I have led many missions to unquestionable success and have risen highly in the ranks of Her Majesty's military. I hold the title of Knight and have achieved the rank of General before I removed myself from public service in Her Majesty's mundane forces."

"And you're so young. That's very impressive," Mike blinked. Receiving the rank of General took years of service and showing exceptional skill as a leader and tactician. To get the rank and still be in her twenties, Cornelia had to be something special indeed. Viletta certainly looked impressed as she was looking at Cornelia with wide eyes.

"I am hailed as something of a prodigy in the field," Cornelia smiled slightly.

"Okay, you have lineage and you have merit, both impressive aspects," Mike nodded, taking Cornelia's words more seriously than before. "What I need to know is how your skills will be of use to me? How will they benefit my own ambitions, whatever they may be?"

Cornelia sat straight, "My tactical skills and experience can allow me to plan against any opponent you may need to engage in battle with be they Heretic Gods, the mundane, or anything inbetween. I can also personally train you in the art of battle, teaching you fighting styles both with your bare hands and with weapons which will no doubt come in handy in your future battles. I have connections with the other branches of my family who offer their full support with anything you may need from the mundane to the magical. Our network can secure anything legal, to the illegal should you need it and have numerous ways to ensure you get it quickly."

Mike nodded, "And that will be useful," He looked Cornelia directly in the eye. "But there is one thing that I wish to know. How do _you_ feel about being the one sent to serve me?"

"Me?" Cornelia blinked. She was silent for a moment before she looked to her lap. "I am accepting of it. Arrangements like this are common and if it can benefit my family then I am prepared for it."

Mike took her answer as accepting and perhaps even pleasant, but his eyes told him something else. He noticed a vein in her neck throb, her hands clenching in her lap, her back stiffening again, and her eyes flashing with the emotion she would not let out. Seeing it all, Mike pressed, "Ms. Cornelia, if you are going to serve me I need you to be honest with me just like I will be honest with you. The first step for this is that I need to know if you are satisfied with this arrangement or not."

Cornelia blinked and was silent again. She recalled from reports she read in preparation for the meeting that the first Heretic God Mike had killed was King Solomon. One of the Authorities he received from that kill was the man's wisdom. No doubt it was active even now, allowing him to see all the signs that indicated that she was lying. Cornelia wanted to insist she was fine, but she knew lying would only alienate her from the Eighth. Her family couldn't afford that so she sighed and dropped her head.

After a moment, her face dropped into a true frown while she clenched her fists. Her jaw was clenched and she looked absolutely furious even though she wasn't making a sound. After a moment, she spoke, "No. No, I hate it! I spent my life becoming a military prodigy for my family, collecting knowledge and experience to serve on the forefront of battle and have achieved heights at a pace never before seen. So much so my own men called me The Goddess of Victory since whenever I entered the battle, we won! Now my family ships me off to be what amounts to an errand girl and sex toy for a teenager just because of my looks!"

Mike blinked, but nodded, "So your family thought hearing all the benefits of allying with them from a beautiful woman offering to serve me would make me more agreeable?"

"Something like that," Cornelia nodded stiffly, forcing some control back over herself. "My father felt that since the newest Campione was a young man, having a woman of my stature offering to serve him would make him more accepting of the proposition."

"Meaning beautiful and sexy," Mike sighed, massaging his temple. "Well I admit you are that, but I won't disrespect everything you achieved outside of your looks by treating you like a toy." Mike sat up straight to stare down Cornelia, making her stop as he subconsciously began exuding the power he possessed. "Cornelia li Britannia, if you truly wish to serve me then I will accept you. Not as a toy, or a servant, but as a Knight, tactician, and someone I can trust my affairs to should I be needed elsewhere. Can you accept that responsibility?"

Cornelia blinked again, but then gave a small smile. It seemed her fears of the Eighth Campione being like the Seventh were unfounded. Everyone knew that Godou Kusanagi was a lecher who liked to collect numerous women from all over. Cornelia had feared that being relatively the same age, he would also be of the hormonal mindset and be more enchanted with her body more than anything else she could offer. It seemed that was not the case as he appeared more concerned with her military skills more than her looks. Of course he noticed her beauty, but she was pleasantly surprised to see that he wasn't distracted by it.

"Yes. I will accept that responsibility," she nodded regally.

"Good," Mike nodded. "Because as of now, your skills may be the edge we need in the near future."

"What do you mean?" Cornelia frowned.

"Recently, Viletta and I have come across information that indicates Kokabiel of the Fallen Angels intends to try and incite conflict between the Three Factions again," Mike explained, causing Cornelia's eyes to widen. "In some of my guest rooms are a pair of Fallen who survived a previous conflict with the local Devils and revealed that their previous orders were falsified by Kokabiel in attempts to secure Sacred Gears for his men as well as remove the Boosted Gear from the equation since the Fallen have the user of the Divine Dividing on their side."

"And the Red Dragon Emperor would never allow his host to fight alongside the White Dragon Emperor," Cornelia nodded, seeing the logic. "Does anyone know of this?"

"I notified Azazel, but he wishes to keep it quiet for now but will inform the other Factions if he needs to," Mike replied.

"That's a good start. If the Factions are aware that this splinter group is active, his plans are less likely to reach fruition," Cornelia nodded. "Do you have any kind of timetable or what his plan to actively begin the war is?"

"No, currently he was trying to gather resources," Mike shook his head. "The Fallen I spoke to have no idea what his actual plans were. Only one may have had a clue but she's dead."

"I see," Cornelia nodded, lifting a knuckle to her lips as she thought. "Possible targets?"

"I can only think of one: Kuoh Academy," Mike answered. "The heiresses of the Gremory and Sitri Families both attend school there. An awfully tempting target considering how seriously the Devils take their bloodlines."

"Yes, that would be a good target," Cornelia agreed. "But that would only get the Devils riled up for war. What would move the Angels?"

"Attack the Vatican?" Mike shrugged. "As opposed to the Devils who have so few targets, the Angels have too many with so many Christian and similar aspects of their faith strewn all over the world."

"And that is without considering if Kokabiel plans to attack one side while framing the other for it," Cornelia added.

"Without considering that," Mike agreed. "With the Three Factions as tense as they are right now, there are probably dozens of ways for a war to spark off even if all three were willing to remain at peace."

"Indeed," Villetta agreed. "We're at the disadvantage though since we have so little information to work with."

"The worst kind of situation to be in with hostiles attempting an operation," Cornelia frowned. "And with Azazel wishing to keep it quiet, which is a wise move, if we make an open move it may alert Kokabiel that someone is onto him and may in fact make the situation worse."

Mike sighed, "So our hands are tied for the moment. We have no information to truly act on so it's Kokabiel's move."

"Agreed," Cornelia nodded.

"So then we wait," Villetta frowned.

"No helping it," Mike shook his head. Sighing, he looked back up to Cornelia. "Well, if we can't move any further on this, let's get you settled in. Do you have a place to stay or can I open up the last of my guest rooms for you?"

"I have a hotel room for now, but I was expected to move into your residence should I be accepted into your service," Cornelia sighed, perhaps a little embarrassed but unwilling to let is show on her face.

"Okay. Let's get your things and we can get you settled in," Mike nodded. "If you need anything else then please ask. I don't want someone who doesn't speak up. If you need it then say the word."

"I will keep that in mind," Cornelia nodded with a small smile.

(LINE BREAK)

The remainder of the afternoon was used to help Cornelia move into her new room. She only came with her luggage, meaning that for the time being her room was unfurnished until some shopping could be done. Plans were made to visit some stores in the meantime, but most of them were closed by the time the trio had returned with Cornelia's belongings. All Cornelia had to sleep on for the time being was a spare futon. As a soldier, Cornelia was used to worse sleeping conditions so she was hardly uncomfortable.

Night fell and everyone turned in for the night. Cornelia sat on her futon in a simple violet nightgown as she tapped at an iPad. The Britannias being so branched out as they were, they were one of the few magus families who weren't totally inept when it came to technology, several branches making their fortunes in several different types such as phones, computers, etc. Cornelia swiftly connected her tablet to the internet which was supplied to the apartment before opening up a live feed to another person on her connections list.

The screen lit up, revealing another woman inside of it. She was impeccably beautiful and wore designer clothes the likes of which only celebrities and monarchy would have the money to buy on a regular basis. The only portion of her outfit that was revealed was a purple top which exposed much of her cleavage and hinted at a rose tattoo above her left breast. Despite her youth and beauty, she had long gray hair which was done into a bun at the back, while the sides were left in ponytails to drape on her shoulders. Her bangs hung low and framed her face with fashionably loose strands rested on her forehead. Her face was beautiful with narrow green eyes, but one could see cunning behind them, indicating that she was not just a wallflower or trophy girlfriend.

Her name was Guinevere su Britannia, Cornelia's half-sister. They shared the same father, but Charles zi Britannia was not the monogamous type and had relations with many women, creating the numerous family branches into different fields. His plan being to see his Campione blood put to good use in many fields. Where Cornelia excelled in the military and had a nigh legendary career, Guinevere excelled in the social scene, managing to start a relationship with a member of the British monarchy and becoming the 'it girl' of the day, the sort many other girls wished to emulate in fashion, looks, and other things. She also modelled, ensuring that her name and face did not fade away, guaranteeing her continued social influence.

"Guinevere," Cornelia greeted plainly to her half-sister. While they were related, Cornelia did not like Guinevere very much since they had radically different beliefs and lifestyles. It was honestly mutual. "I was expecting to contact Father."

" _He's out at the moment,_ " Guinevere smirked, her voice filled with decadence and indulgence. " _He's busy negotiating with Richard's father over us possibly getting engaged. He asked me to stay behind in case you called. Speaking of, have you met Lord Eighth yet or not?_ "

"I have," Cornelia replied. "And he's accepted me into his service."

" _Excellent! Father will be pleased!_ " Guinevere grinned. " _Phase One is complete then. Now for Phase Two. How do you plan to get into his bed?_ "

Cornelia's eye twitched, but she maintained her reserve, " _Unfortunately_ , he seems more interested in my real world skills than what size my breasts are."

" _Seriously?_ " Guinevere blinked as if she had been told the sky had turned green. " _He's a teenage boy. Breasts should be the most important thing in the world to him right now!_ "

"Well since he has the wisdom of Solomon as one of his Authorities, his mind is on more important and less carnal matters. I don't foresee your 'Phase Two' coming to fruition like you intended."

Guinevere frowned, " _Cornelia, you know how important this alliance is! We_ _need_ _new Campione blood brought into the family! You think you were chosen because you're a great fighter? No, you were picked because next to me you are one of the most beautiful and close to hitting your fertility peak! The Eighth is also rumored to like older women. I'd do it, but my relationship with the monarchy won out._ "

Cornelia's face slipped into a scowl, "I am not some-!"

" _Do_ _you_ _want to be the reason our family fell into decline?_ " Guinevere interrupted. " _We're getting closer to the verge of it already. In one or two generations, it won't matter if we're related to a Campione. Do you want to be the reason we missed this chance?_ " Cornelia snapped her mouth shut, making Guinevere nod. " _I thought not. Now go out there, flash some cleavage and spread your legs! Let the Campione have his way and bring back a baby or two!_ "

Cornelia shut down the connection with her half-sister, relying on her military discipline to keep her from exploding. It didn't stop her from dearly wishing she could throttle the spoiled brat through the screen. After a moment, the angry flush left her cheeks and she was able to breathe normally. Standing up, she decided to step out of her room and get something to drink. Stepping out of the room she walked for the kitchen and opened the fridge, finding no liquor, but plenty of different fruit and soft drinks.

"Just as well. Being drunk is the last thing I want," she sighed, taking a glass from the cupboard and pouring herself a glass of pomegranate juice. Once in her hand, she leaned back against the counter with an arm folded under her breasts while taking sips of her drink of choice.

To say she was deeply insulted that she was picked to be little more than a baby-maker to help her family achieve more prestige would be an understatement. She could understand the idea since any family related to a Campione by blood were considered political powerhouses in the supernatural world even if the Campione they were descended from was dead. The Britannias' problem was that the Campione they were related to was dead for nearly eight hundred years, making the power of their blood a little thin and with it, their political pull. Not to say they still didn't have power in many ways, but with their Campione blood thinning out, so were the avenues they could trade in on that blood to its maximum potential.

Of course Cornelia didn't cash in on her bloodline to get the fast track to her abilities. No, she used her blood to make herself the best she could be and she rocketed through the military ranks both mundane and magical. She was a prodigy in the art of war and it paid off in spades. Yes, she had detractors, many assuming she either used her family's resources or slept her way up to her rank thanks to her good looks. Other than punishing those who said it to her face, she ignored them. She and her precious people knew the truth and she was satisfied with that. She was proud of what she achieved and knew that aside from her half-brother Schneizel, none of her relatives and few of their contacts could outmatch her in terms of military skill, reputation, and connections.

Still, to be the one considered the best choice to breed with a Campione, like all of her achievements were just a qualifier to see if she was the best choice or not? It was a smack in the face of everything she worked for! She was a General! A leader of soldiers! A tactician even other Generals far more experienced than her found themselves confounded by! She was a prodigy in battle and military tactics! She wasn't just some breeding mare!

"I refuse to be just some breeding stock," Cornelia hissed to herself, taking a large gulp of her juice. The only silver lining to her situation was that Michael was in need of her skills considering what might be looming over the horizon with Kokabiel. He saw value in her abilities and connections rather than be entranced by her beauty and her body. Perhaps if or when the situation with Kokabiel was over, Michael would keep her in a position of one of his knights. That was a respectable post for anyone, doubly so if they were personally serving a Campione.

As she took another sip, she heard a door open and glanced over to see Viletta walking out of the room. She was wearing a thin green silk bathrobe with her hair loose and she had a sheen of sweat over her body, indicating what she had been up to. With how loose her robe was, Cornelia could tell that she likely wasn't wearing any underwear either.

"Good evening Cornelia," Villetta nodded, opening the fridge for a drink of her own.

"Good evening," Cornelia replied with a raised eyebrow. "Having fun tonight?"

"Indeed," Villetta smiled back as she poured herself a cup of ginger ale. "Most nights are like that for me."

Cornelia frowned slightly, but tried not to let any misinformed opinions rise, "I did read your report on his Authorities. Did he use them on you to get liberties with your body?"

"Oh no," Villetta shook her head after taking a gulp. "He was still learning about his Authorities when he activated _**Harem of the King**_ and got me with it by accident."

"And he has yet to release you?" Cornelia frowned.

"He can't, for I truly do not wish to be released from his service," Villetta shook her head. "You see, the Authority only works if we hold true affection for each other. He cannot use it on lustful feelings, but true affection. Even when it works, he cannot enslave me. I can tell him no if I do not wish for his attentions, I can talk back if he is saying something I disagree with, and I can strike at him if I feel he deserves it."

"Then what does the Authority do to bind you to him?" asked Cornelia.

"I admit that it amplifies the affection I hold for him," Viletta answered. "Before, I perhaps held some fondness to him for protecting me from Solomon's lecherous attentions and he admired me for trying to protect innocent people from a Heretic God. The Authority bonded us together and I accept my position as his Knight, but also his lover and mistress."

"Hm," Cornelia raised an eyebrow. "Does it do anything for you rather than just make you adore him to the point you'd allow him to have sex with you?"

"After testing," Villetta replied, sipping more of her drink. "We discovered my magic reserves had grown considerably, as had my body's natural toughness and magical resistance. I'm nowhere near a Campione, but I certainly rank up with the higher caliber mages now."

"Interesting," Cornelia noted. It seemed that Villetta was granted enhanced abilities with little cost, if manipulating how much affection she felt for Michael could be called a cost. "Does he push you to be affectionate with him?"

Villetta snickered, "Honestly? I almost have to pin him down to be intimate with him. He's not entirely confident that my affection is real. I even try to convince him to recruit more women with that Authority, but he's adamant that one woman is enough for him."

"You actually _want_ him to collect more women like the Seventh?" asked Cornelia disbelievingly. "Is this another effect of his Authority?"

"Perhaps it lowers my inhibitions, but when at play I like to be wild and in my position, I get to do both sometimes," Villetta shrugged. "But having a network of contacts will only benefit him in the long run and what better way to ensure their loyalty is to have them adore him like I do?"

"Logical I suppose, if not improper," Cornelia blinked. Then again, Campione didn't have to follow society's laws anymore. On one hand it made her feel better, reassuring her that she wasn't serving some kind of lecher looking to build a harem even if he had the perfect tool to do so. On the other hand, it would put the crimp on her family's plans concerning her and the Eighth if he was the monogamous type. She couldn't really bring herself to care really.

"Care to give him a spin?" Villetta grinned. "He doesn't disappoint. He'll likely resist, but once you're naked and pressed against him he'll cave."

"I'll pass," Cornelia deadpanned. "I'm not in the habit of jumping into bed with a man I just met."

"Offer's open," Villetta shrugged. "We're going to need your service in the situations to come so why not take advantage of it and get some serious perks out of it?"

Cornelia glared at the knight, effectively ending the conversation. Villetta knew the conversation was over and simply finished her drink. Setting her glass down, she walked back to Michael's room in order to continue her night. Cornelia watched her go for a moment, wondering if the woman really was in control of herself if she acted so wantonly. She wouldn't have expected a knight of all people to encourage the creation of a harem that was for sure. Of course, behind closed doors people could act very differently from their public images. Still…

' _I'm thinking too hard about this,_ ' Cornelia thought to herself before finishing her drink. ' _Let the Eighth indulge the way he wants. If he wants me then he'll have to impress me just like any other man who wanted me has had to do in the past. Too bad for him none of them succeeded._ '

Setting her glass in the sink, Cornelia headed back to her room to see if she could get some sleep. She had a lot to plan for should Michael request it and she wasn't going to let herself drop the ball now that she was finally in play.

(LINE BREAK)

 **Mike's Apartment - Morning**

Mike yawned as he walked to the kitchen for some breakfast. Digging through cupboards, he found some cereal which looked familiar to the brands he recognized and began pouring himself a bowl. He was tired, but still felt rested. Villetta's insistence on some attention before falling asleep aside, he felt like he could take on the day properly once he got some food into him.

As he got breakfast ready, another bedroom door opened and Mittelt came out, wearing the white bathrobe again but with her hair properly done up. Rubbing her eyes, she likewise made tracks for the kitchen. Coming in, she moved for the bread before looking at Mike, "You know, you could have warned me that you and your so-called knight like to fuck like bunnies every night."

Mike blanched, but didn't make a noise. Sighing, he glanced to the smirking Fallen, "Sorry. I wasn't aware we made that much noise or the walls couldn't hold it in."

"Oh, they did," Mittelt chuckled, bringing her bread slices to the toaster. "Fallen like me can sense emotions to an extent. It's one of the ways we know how to manipulate people. I felt you two like a big ball of hormones when I woke up last night."

"Sorry," Mike shrugged, trying not to blush too hard. "Villetta's my girlfriend though and she can be rather insistent sometimes."

"Banging your secretary huh?" Mittelt grinned. "Well, at least you were both single when you started. It's better than some guys we've worked with in the past."

"No doubt," Mike shrugged. He then recalled something he had to tell the Fallen girl. "Oh, Azazel's looking into the Kokabiel thing secretly, but he was more relieved to hear you and Kalawarner were okay. Most likely you're off the hook for all the crap that went down with Issei and Asia."

"Seriously?" Mittelt blinked, but then she slumped in relief. "Oh hot damn! Best news I heard all week!"

"What's with the shouting?" another woman groaned and Mike turned to see Kalawarner up and about. She looked tired, but was wearing another bathrobe and walking perfectly. Of course being a Fallen she had to show off somehow by leaving the front open enough to reveal her cleavage.

"Morning Kalawarner," Mike greeted as he went to retrieve the milk. "Feeling better?"

"Better than I was compared to the last week," the older female sighed, slumping at the table. She looked over to Mike with a raised eyebrow. "Did I hear right? Azazel-sama is letting us off the hook for the shitstorm at the church?"

"Most likely, but if he found the letters Mittelt told me about then it's a guarantee," Mike nodded. "He wants to keep it quiet though so don't go running through the streets proclaiming anything would you?"

"I'm not stupid you know," Kalawarner huffed. "If that's the case Mittelt and I can just crash here until Kokabiel's dealt with. You can't get much better protection in the human world than from a Campione."

"Can't be helped I guess," Mike shrugged, retrieving his milk for his cereal. If the deal with Kokabiel got really bad, Kalawarner and Mittelt were the only ones who knew he had falsified orders to collect weapons for the Grigori or destroy ones he couldn't wield. That made them a loose end and one he'd want tied up. Turning out the two Fallen at that point would be the same as throwing them to the sharks.

Another door opened and Cornelia emerged to arrive at the kitchen wearing a button-up blouse the same shade as her hair with a black suit, making her look like some kind of official. She was dressed immaculately and looked every bit the professional as she portrayed herself the previous day, just without the ceremonial uniform.

"Good morning," she greeted, beginning to look through the cupboards for her own breakfast.

"Holy shit," Mittelt blinked, but then looked at Mike. "A fourth woman already when you have us? You trying to build a harem like that Issei kid or something?"

"NO!" Mike shouted, unable to contain his blush. "It's just a coincidence! She's my tactician and combat instructor for this thing with Kokabiel!"

Cornelia blinked as she took the bread from Mittelt. Hearing Mike's description of her duties, she felt that she really couldn't complain about them. Being his tactician was a respectable role which would make full use of her skills and being responsible for his combat training was a hefty duty she found herself willing to take pride in. It was certainly better than the glorified baby maker her family wanted her to be.

"Yeah, sure," Kalawarner snickered, making Mike groan and drop his head.

Fortunately, Cornelia decided to bail him out, "He's right. I was sent here by my family to show support for the Eighth Campione. My extensive military history and training makes me unique suited for this situation. If Kokabiel plans to try and start a war, I'll be helping Lord Summers stop him."

Mittelt snorted, "Anyone else say that and I'd say they were smoking something funky, but you Campione have a way of making things turn your way. You wouldn't have killed that first Heretic God if you couldn't."

"That goes without saying," Mike nodded, but grimaced as he recalled the rather one-sided 'fight' with the Heretic God he got his first Authority from. Mike was lucky for that particular set of circumstances which allowed him to take down Solomon before the spears impaling him ended his life.

"So what do you actually plan to do about Kokabiel?" asked Kalawarner, looking to Mike pointedly.

Mike poured his milk into his cereal, filling it to the level he liked before placing it back in the fridge, "Azazel's going to do what he can on his end. But right now the ball's in Kokabiel's possession. We don't know what he plans to do to start his big war so we're stuck with waiting," he dug out a spoon before heading to the table to eat. "Raynare was probably the only one who had a clue but she's dead so we've got nothing."

"And it's not like we can have you two head back to the Grigori headquarters," Villetta added. "Not with Kokabiel's supporters there no doubt told to keep an eye out for the both of you on the off chance you lived past that night."

"So all we can do is keep our ears to the ground and find some intel," Cornelia nodded. She looked to the pair of Fallen. "Looks like you two are stuck here for the time being. Let's try to get along."

"Eh, could be worse," Mittelt shrugged.

"Might as well get comfy then," Kalawarner nodded, leaning back in her chair. Mike tried not to notice how she presented her cleavage, but some things just couldn't be ignored. The Fallen noticed his gaze and smirked slightly, but didn't comment.

When did his life become an eroge?

(LINE BREAK)

 **Kuoh Academy**

Mike headed to school as per the norm, for once not feeling anything weird going on. The only difference was that a lot of the students were whispering about how all the members of the ORC had been absent. Everyone assumed that it was part of some club activity, but it didn't stop the fanboys and fangirls from moaning about the objects of their admiration/lust being gone...or celebrating the fact that Issei wouldn't be around to perv on the girls sports teams for a while.

"Well, another day and all that," Mike yawned as he approached the school.

"Yes, boring isn't it?"

Mike stopped and looked around, but then his senses went haywire as he felt the power of a Heretic God spike _right behind him!_ Twisting around, he frowned when he spied a girl in a Kuoh uniform standing cutely behind him. Well, cute was understating it somewhat. She was teen model/wet dream material all in one sexy package. She had curves which were unfair to girls her age and had long red hair tied into twin ponytails, but coming from a large blue ribbon tied at the back of her head while her bangs framed her face. Her eyes were smoky gold and her face was perfectly set for beauty and sexuality.

As beautiful as she was though, and as perfectly she filled out the uniform like Rias or Akeno did, she _reeked_ of the power of a Heretic God. There was no mistaken what she was even if she was blending in perfectly with the surroundings.

"Oh my god! Who is that chick!?"

"Measuring...measuring…."

Mike glanced over and saw Issei's fellow perverts gaping openly at the new girl. Many other students were as well, seemingly forgetting about The Two Great Oneesamas in favor of The Third Great Oneesama standing before them. The boys were swooning and the girls were sighing in delight at her. In that Mike became a little confused since he knew that only people who possessed magic power were capable of seeing a Heretic God and he knew he had to be looking at one.

"Oh, if you're wondering, I just used a small spell to hide among mortals so they can see me," the girl smiled.

Mike's eyes narrowed, but he decided to take her word for it, "Explains a bit. How can I help you ma'am?"

She giggled, causing the witnesses to swoon at the sound, "Oh my, you're so polite. Most Campione would just attack me the moment they felt my power."

"Well, I prefer to give everyone the benefit of the doubt," Mike faced the girl completely, his hands at his sides as he tensed, ready for a fight. "But if you are here to cause trouble, then you'd better get ready for a fight."

"Oh relax Campione-kun!" the girl giggled. "I just came to say hello! After feeling another foreign Heretic God suddenly appear and then disappear in my home country, I decided to take a look and here I found you!"

"Oh. You heard about that huh?" Mike huffed. "Well, it was Siegfried if you're interested in knowing. The Fallen Angels summoned him because they found out I was here. I managed to take him down before he decided to go on a rampage."

"And no doubt got a nice new Authority out of it," the girl smiled. "You sure you don't want to try and snag one from me? I'm pretty powerful!" she finished with a teasing wink, causing more people to swoon.

Mike blinked, but shook his head, "As far as I see right now, you're not hurting anyone so I've got no reason to consider you an enemy. Even if the other Heretic Gods see me as an enemy, until they attack me or harm an innocent person then I won't see them the same way."

"Waii! Such conviction!" the girl giggled, clapping her hands next to her cheek in delight. "You remind me so much of that Godou boy. He's got standards too! Did you know he defeated Athena and let her go free even though she tried to swallow the world in darkness? He's such a charmer just like you!"

"Sounds like a guy worth knowing then," Mike smiled lightly. "So, did you just come to say hello or-!"

"Summers-san," a new voice cut through Mike's words, prompting him and the Heretic Goddess to turned to the source. It was revealed to be Sona with Tsubaki right behind her. Although they were trying to appear proper and inconspicuous, both were looking a little pale and short on breath. Mike quickly remembered that Devils didn't take to well to being in the presence of a Heretic God.

"Whoops! Sorry about that!" the goddess giggled at seeing the pair. She wiggled her fingers slightly and the colour returned to the pair's cheeks while they gave sighs of relief. "I only let out so much power to get Campione-kun's attention but I guess I forgot to rein it back in if it was making you two ill. My apologies."

"Very well," Sona adjusted her glasses, but it still seemed like she was sporting a cold sweat. Not surprising when one was facing a Heretic God, or rather Goddess, "For what reason has a Heretic Goddess come to our school?"

"Oh, just dropping by to see Campione-kun," the goddess smiled. "I also had a bit of a message for him."

"Oh?" Mike blinked. "What is it?"

"You see, the Fallen Angels did something of a shoddy job with summoning that Siegfried fellow," the goddess smiled, looking back to Mike. "They did it right, but they didn't even bother to deal with hiding the ritual in the first place, making it pretty obvious to anyone who bothered to keep their senses peeled out for it."

"So other members of the various groups will be looking around?" asked Tsubaki.

"Well, not exactly," the goddess smiled. "When you rip a hole to the Domain of Immortality, quite a few gods notice that sort of thing, both there and on Earth.

Mike paled as did Sona and Tsubaki, "Wait, are you saying that Heretic Gods are going to come poking around here?!"

"I'm here aren't I?" the goddess grinned. "Some others will come poking around too. I don't think they'll take too well to the fact a godslayer is hanging around. Then again, they may not take to Devils being here either."

"Aw shit," Mike grimaced.

"This is an 'oh shit' moment," the goddess nodded. She then smiled and turned to leave, "Well, I've said my message. Time to leave before I make the Devils here more uncomfortable."

"Wait lady goddess," Sona spoke, catching the Heretic Goddess' attention. "Before you leave, could you grace us with your name?"

"Of course!" the goddess chirped. "I am Tamamo-no-Mae! Ta-ta!" With a wave of her hand, she vanished in a haze. Of course, none of the mortal students noticed it, the object of their adoration vanishing from their minds like a daydream.

Mike grimaced, watching the spot where the now confirmed Tamamo had been standing, "Dammit. This is just what we need!"

"Summers-san," Sona spoke up, catching Mike's attention. "I request that we convene in the Student Council office after school to discuss what we just learned."

"I'll be there," Mike nodded. "Rias and her club sure picked a good time to go train."

"Perhaps, but we will deal with this crisis," Sona nodded. She and Tsubaki turned to head towards the school. Mike watched then go, silently wondering what he had done to suddenly deserve having so much crap happen to him.

...oh wait, he'd killed a god. That would rack up some bad karma.

(LINE BREAK)

 **Student Council Office**

The day progressed, but Mike found he couldn't pay attention. Not with the news that Tamamo gave him. Heretic Gods descending on Kuoh was a recipe for mayhem and disaster and that was just with those Heretic Gods walking through the streets. If they decided to start actively hunting for Mike or just go for some mayhem, then things would get _really_ bad in the fraction of the time it would take for a nuke to go off in the middle of the city.

When the final bell rang, Mike went straight to the Student Council office where he could meet with Sona and her Peerage, the only supernatural authority left in the area since Rias was off with her Peerage training for her Rating Game. Knocking on the door, he received a call to enter which he did. Inside the whole Student Council was in attendance, none of them seemed to be in a good mood.

"I'm glad you could come Lord Summers," Sona nodded. "Please have a seat."

"Right," Mike nodded. Shutting the door behind him, he went for the chair that was placed before Sona's desk. As he walked, Tsubaki waved her hand and caused the walls to glow slightly before it faded. "A privacy spell?"

"Yes. We don't need the mundane to hear what we are talking about," Sona nodded.

"One Heretic God descending on Kuoh just to leave a message was bad enough," Tsubaki frowned slightly. "But more descending? I fear our Peerage may not be able to take that strain Kaichou."

"Woah, wait, this Heretic God thing was responsible for that nausea we all felt this morning?" asked the only male in the room besides Mike. His name was Saji Genshirou, a boy with short blonde hair and blue eyes. Rumor had it he was in love with Sona and was determined to do everything he could to see her dreams come true. "Everyone else has been muttering about Heretic Gods but no one's explained to me what one is!"

"Gods as we know them are born from the stories, belief, and worship of the people of the world," Mike explained. "They reside in a place called the Domain of Immortality which is connected to the united consciousness of humanity. Every so often though, these gods, be they heroes, fae, true gods, or whatever, get tired of being subject to the whim of their legends and break out, arriving on Earth as what we call Heretic Gods."

"And from there they rampage, so powerful that even the Angels, Fallen, and Devils cannot stop them. Only our most powerful leaders truly have a chance and that can be pushing it," Sona continued. "Only a Campione like Lord Summers have a chance to slay them and return them to the Domain of Immortality where they belong."

"Heretic Gods are especially dangerous to new Devils like us Gen-chan," Momo Hanakai spoke up. She as a girl with shoulder length white hair and blue-green eyes. From the way she spoke to Saji, it was obvious to Mike that she wanted him. "Their divine aura is like a poisonous air to us. We can't be near one without feeling incredibly sick."

"And even powerful Devils like Kaichou and Fukukaichou are not immune, although they can handle it better than we can," one Ruruko Nimura chimed in. She had long brown hair tied into two simple ponytails which hung down to her waist, only tamed by some green hairclips. She had modified her outfit slightly by wearing green-striped socks. The rumor mill had it she and Momo had something of a rivalry going on for Saji who was downright clueless since he still pursued Sona.

"So this message really did come from a Heretic Goddess?" asked Yura Tsubasa. She was another girl with shoulder length blue hair with matching eyes. She was actually quite handsome, giving her a bishounen look which made her very popular with a select group of female fans. That didn't take away from the fact that she was a pretty girl, ensuring just as much popularity with the boys for her sportiness and good looks.

"Tamamo-no-mae," Mike nodded to Tsubasa's question.

"Then can we believe her?" asked the tomboy. "I mean, her story alone paints her as a deceiver and a destroyer."

"We can't afford not to Yura-chan," Tomoe Meguri replied. She had reddish brown hair done into ponytails with brown eyes. She was usually more hyperactive than she was at the moment which was a little worrying. "Not when we could have more Heretic Gods coming to Kuoh."

"But why now?" asked Reya Kusaka, a brunette who had her done into a pair of braids and held back with a blue headband. "I mean, what changed that they decided to show up? All that recently happened was that whole thing with the Fallen at that old church. Did a Heretic God take offense to that or something?"

"No, the Fallen in that church did something," Mike shook his head. "According to Tamamo, the Fallen didn't properly shield the ritual. It was blocked from detection to any member of the Three Factions or below, but they didn't bother to hide it from the senses of other Heretic Gods. So when something big enough happens to get a god's attention…"

"They investigate," Sona frowned slightly. "And when they do, they will discover that Devils and a Campione are in the area."

"And then?" asked Saji.

"They may or may not go after the Devils depending on their history, but they will definitely go after me," Mike frowned, leaning forward in his chair. "Heretic Gods hate Campione, thinking us as aberrations to the natural order of the world that needs to be destroyed. It's ironic though since most of humanity consider Heretic Gods to be the same thing."

"So then how do we prepare for this?" asked Tsubasa. "Is there anything we can do at all?"

"We remain vigilant," Sona spoke, silencing the room. "We observe, we patrol, we look for any sign that anything is wrong."

Mike nodded, "No stone goes unturned. If any of you find anything, call my number and I'll race down to inspect or help. I'll leave my number here with the Student Council before I leave. I'll also have my Knight Villetta coordinate with my other house guests to see if we can find anything."

"Agreed. Please report in if you find anything as well Lord Summers," Sona nodded. "While most of my Peerage likely will not be able to take being near a Heretic God, we can try to erect a barrier which can limit the damage as well as keep the mundane away while you fight it."

"Now that will come in handy," Mike whistled. "Okay, should we start tonight then? If Tamamo-no-Mae is already here, then the others likely are as well. The sooner we get on this, the sooner we can make a proper counter."

"I agree," Sona nodded. Reaching into her desk, she pulled out a map of the city. Why she had it, Mike wasn't sure but it was a convenient thing to have in the current crisis. "Tsubaki, you will lead a team with Momo, Reya, and Ruruko…"

Outside of the school, standing in a tree as the Student Council and their Campione ally worked on their plan to deal with the approaching Heretic Gods stood Tamamo-no-Mae herself. She was still in the form of a high school girl wearing a Kuoh Academy uniform, save for a small difference. From the top of her head poked out a pair of orange furred fox ears and a fluffy fox tail stuck out from underneath her skirt.

"There. Now both sides know the game is afoot," she giggled to herself. "It's much more fun when both sides know that they're playing the same game now isn't it?"

With a giggle, she waved her hand and in a flash of smoke and leaves, a small fox leaped down from the branches and took off running deeper into the forests around Kuoh. After all, she wanted to find the best seats for when the big confrontation happened!

And they said there was no such thing as free entertainment!

 **To Be Continued…**


	6. Band of Three

**I do not own Campione, High School DxD, or the elements of Code Geass that I chose to incorporate into this story. I am only writing this for fun and not for any sort of profit. If you do not like this story then you are free to leave it and find something more to your tastes. For those you that remain, I hope you continue to enjoy and support the story.**

 **God Slayer DxD**

 **By Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Chapter 6: Band of Three**

Two days had passed since the Heretic Goddess Tamamo-no-Mae delivered her message stating that Kuoh was gaining the attention of the Heretic Gods thanks to the summoning of Siegfried. According to the infamous vixen, because the Fallen hadn't bothered to shield their ritual from the powerful gaze of the Heretic Gods, even if they did block the Three Factions from noticing, said Heretic Gods both inside and outside the Domain of Immortality were going to be looking in on Kuoh. Once they found out Devils were afoot and a Campione was in their midst, things were really going to get messy.

With the Occult Research Club off training for their upcoming Rating Game, the only ones left to deal with the crisis was the Student Council and the Eighth Campione. Fortunately, no one among them were rookies in dealing with the supernatural although when dealing with Heretic Gods all bets were off. Part of that problem was that Devils couldn't take even being in the presence of a Heretic God, making the effectiveness of the Student Council save perhaps Sona and Tsubaki limited if or when a confrontation broke out. A confrontation which was guaranteed once the Heretic Gods saw that there was a Campione in the area. The animosity between the two beings was well known to anyone supernatural.

To try and get on top of the situation and perhaps an advantage, the group began making patrols to try and find any kind of early sign that the Heretic Gods had entered the area. Mike had Cornelia begin operating the patrols, making sure there were no gaps between them and that proper precautions would be taken to ensure that if the Heretic Gods did begin to converge on Kuoh, they would be noticed. Even Mittelt and Kalawarner helped seeing as they helped make the situation in the first place.

Naturally both Fallen blamed Raynare. They claimed that neither of them were really arcane types who were experienced with magic beyond the basics with light spears and the like. Dohnaseek was an archivist in Paradiso so he may have known, but they claimed Raynare probably wanted the Heretic Gods to notice so they'd investigate and likely wipe out the Devils. It would have left no suspicion on the Girgori since Heretic Gods were known for their whimsy. It was a fact that Mike couldn't prove or disprove so he let it go provided the two Fallen help keep any Heretic Gods from going out of control. Sona wasn't pleased with having the two Fallen working with them, but Mike assured them that they would behave if only for their own sakes. So far they kept to their word.

Still, two days and no unusual signs appeared. Rather than relax, it made the group of defenders nervous.

After another day of school, Mike was meeting with the Student Council again to hear any reports. The only ones present were Tsubaki and Saji as the others were off dealing with their daytime duties.

"Man, I'm telling you we saw nothing!" Saji huffed as he watched Mike and Tsubaki pour over a map, several regions marked by stickers to show which ones had been patrolled already and which ones were overdue for another. "We've been patrolling and other than some stray animals, we've got nothing. I'm starting to think Tsubasa was right when she asked if Tamamo was jerking us along."

"In all honesty I hope she was, but we can't assume that yet," Mike sighed, looking to the map. "The district is a big place as it is and we've only covered a portion of it even with two days of patrolling."

"Agreed. As it is, we have only patrolled about twenty-five percent of the district," Tsubaki supplied. "There is still a lot of territory left to cover."

"Man," Sanj groaned, looking down at the markers which represented hours of lost sleep for him. If it weren't for his Devil endurance he'd be a wreck. "If this turns out to be a prank I'm going to be really pissed off."

"Right there with you," Mike agreed.

The door to the room opened and Sona herself stepped in, looking as pristine as ever. Saji jumped to attention, all but saluting to her, "Welcome Kaichou!"

Sona nodded to him as she approached her vice-president and the local godslayer, "We have a lead."

"We do?" asked Mike.

"Yes," Sona set her bookbag down. "This afternoon I received a message from one of the Devil nobles, congratulating me and my Peerage on exterminating a Rogue Devil almost as soon as it began to lift it's head in the district."

Tsubaki frowned, "But...Kaichou, we had no idea there were even any Rogue Devils in the area since the last one Rias and her Peerage destroyed."

"Correct, which means someone got to this one first before we could even be alerted," Sona nodded.

"It sure wasn't Mittelt and Kalawarner. They'd have told me and even if they didn't, there'd be obvious signs it was them since Fallen aren't exactly subtle when they fight," Mike frowned, seeing what Sona was speaking of.

"And to my knowledge there are no Angels or exorcists working in the area either. They also are not very subtle, making it easy to follow them if they were here," Sona nodded.

"Which means that someone we don't know about did it," Saji frowned, likewise seeing the point Sona was getting to."

"Correct," Sona nodded. She then looked to Mike. "Lord Summers, with your approval I would like you to take Yura and Tsubaki with you to investigate this incident. If it is the Heretic God they will be able to make a temporary barrier for you to keep it contained while they contact me for reinforcements."

"Will do," Mike saluted. "Hopefully we can find some kind of end to this without leveling a portion of the district."

"Please see to it that you don't," Sona deadpanned.

"No promises," Mike sweatdropped at her cold stare.

(LINE BREAK)

When the sun began to set, Mike met with both Tsubaki and Yura under the growing cover of darkness before they set out for their only lead. Tsubaki had managed to get the information on the Rogue Devil, a bottom-feeder named Lucius who had been committing all manner of crimes against Devils laws to try and increase his power. He'd been caught and he fled to the Kuoh area, no doubt plotting to try and steal more power from the Sitri and Gremory by devouring their Peerages or the heiresses themselves.

The trio soon found themselves set in front of an abandoned warehouse. It had been almost severely damaged by a mysterious fire and left alone ever since. Likely Lucius had set the fire himself so to ensure no one would touch the building, giving him a place to hide while he carried out his plans. It was somewhat of a cliche place to hide, but it was effective.

"This is the place?" asked Yura.

"According to the reports, yes," Tsubaki nodded. "Lucius was hiding out here and was suddenly exterminated. Since there were no signs that it was anyone else, we were credited for dealing with him."

"I don't feel anything though," Mike frowned, trying to focus on his senses. "Nothing divine. If a Heretic God did do this, he's long gone now."

"Regardless, we should explore," Tsubaki insisted.

"Time to get our hands dirty," Yura grinned. If her sleeves weren't already rolled up, she would have done so just to make her point.

"Tally ho," Mike sighed before he lead the trio through the charred front doors of the ruined warehouse. The Devils' eyes adjusted easily while it took Mike a moment to finally see. Inside the ruined building the floors, walls, and ceiling were indeed charred, but not to the point of total destruction. There was no debris either, making the whole place wide open. For all intents and purposes, it seemed like it was a controlled burn instead of an inferno. What gave way to what might be a supernatural event were the numerous claw marks digging into the walls and what looked like impact craters littering the floor.

"Is this normal for Rogue Devils?" asked Mike, looking at the damage which looked like some kind of brawl had taken place.

"While Rogue Devils do mutate from their original forms, most looking like beasts, they aren't known to go on rampages like this unless they are particularly powerful," Tsubaki commented, her eyes narrowing on the claw marks in the walls.

"Maybe it was whoever killed him?" suggested Yura.

"Likely," Mike kicked a stone into one of the craters. "Probably used servants to do the job though. Unless it's some kind of god aligned to beasts."

"So many domains, so few ways to tell which one it was," Tsubaki agreed.

The sound of a rattling can caught the trio's attention, prompting them to turn back to the front of the warehouse. They were expecting an enemy, but instead treated to the sight of a small dog, a golden brown with white underside with a curled tail. It was standing at the door and just watching the three, looking no more than an innocent dog.

"Aw! How cute!" Yura giggled at the sight.

"Ukiii!"

The sudden call once more caused the trio to turn, this time to an open window where what seemed to be a white monkey with a red face hopped onto the ledge. It almost looked like it had stepped out of the pages of a classic Japanese book, looking exactly like the kind of monkey known to appear in the colder regions of Japan's landscape.

"What on earth is a monkey doing here?" Tsubaki asked, honestly confused.

"Twiii!"

Mike looked up to the rafters of the warehouse, hearing the bird call. There at a hole in the roof was a pheasant which hopped down the hole before landing on a rafter. Its amber gaze was aimed right and the three, never wavering for a moment. It was enough to bring a sinking sensation down into Mike's gut that something was wrong.

"Girls…" he began warningly.

" **My my! To draw in my sworn enemies so quickly!** " a new male voice laughed. " **Perhaps making a ruckus to draw in the Oni was a good idea after all!** "

Tsubaki and Yura immediately began to pale and look ill. Yura was easily the worse of the pair as she got wobbly on her feet and looked like she may throw up. Tsubaki had to lean against a pillar to support herself while she grew short on breath. Mike was the only one unaffected negatively, but his senses began shouting at him that a Heretic God was nearby and it wasn't going to be playing games.

The three got their answers as beside the dog, a man stepped into view. From head to toe, he was adorned in armor befitting of a shogun, gleaming red and gold like a legendary warrior would be expected to wear. At his side were a pair of swords, a perfect set of katanas for a shogun and next to them was a pouch of some sort. His face was concealed by the battle mask samurai were known to wear into battle. Perched on his back was a sashimono battle flag marked with three dots and a peach. In all, he appeared to be a figure who stepped out of the fables of old, a hero looking for glory and the next monster to slay.

" **I was worried that there was but one Oni for me to slay. Not much glory in it,** " the Heretic God chuckled, stroking his chin. " **But now I see there is a nest of such creatures and from such an unassuming place.** "

"Wh-what are you...talking about?" demanded Tsubaki despite the weakness she felt.

" **Why, your fortress which you have disguised as a school,** " the Heretic God laughed. " **Quite ingenious! I never would have thought of finding Oni hiding within a city when they prefer their own islands.** "

Mike's eyes widened as he realized what the Heretic God was insinuating. He knew about Kuoh! "What makes you so sure that these Oni are hiding out there?"

The Heretic God chuckled, " **The Oni I had slain here confessed to it. He was going to overthrow the twin rulers there and increase his power so they must be mighty indeed.** " He then stepped back. " **Now I as a Hero God of Steel shall do my duty and eradicate the Oni hiding within those walls and free the people from their suffering!** "

Yura grimaced, gravity finally beating her as she dropped to her knees, but she still had her eyes on the Heretic God. Grimacing, she choked out, "...momo…"

It was faint, but the Heretic God seemed to notice it. Looking at Yura, he questioned, " **Ah? Does the lowly Oni have something to say?** "

Yura grimaced, but managed to get the breath she needed to speak, "A dog, a pheasant, and a monkey. You hunt oni with a peach symbol to represent you. You're one of the most famous heroes in Japan. You're...Momotaro."

" **Aha! My glory reaches so far that all of my enemies know of my travels!** " Heretic God Momotaro laughed. " **Ah, but I digress. I must make haste to the Oni fortress. In the meantime, you lot can handle the dregs which I took possession of when I sacked Oni Isle.** "

Momotaro stepped forward as his three famous companions disappeared into the night. He lifted his hands, causing a red aura to surround him. It caused Tsubaki and Yura to grimace in pain as the divine power began to rise. Mike's hackles rose more, yelling at him to begin fighting. Power collected, Momotaro then began to speak, " _ **Bring rise to the armies of the Oni. The pillagers, the raiders, the thieves. Bring me their inglorious forms so that I may bring down righteous justice on them for their destructive ways!**_ "

The ground rumbled angrily before several explosions ripped from the ground. Emerging from the depths of the earth came large hulking beasts. There were three of them, covered from head to toe in muscle and wearing tiger stripe loincloths. Each of them were holding a bulky kanabo in their hands, large enough to easily crush rock with their kind of strength. Their skin was either red, blue, or green while their heads reminded Mike of the traditional liondogs often seen in religion. They had greasy golden hair with gold lips and bulging eyes filled with fury. What separated them from the celestial beasts though was the pair of horns rising up from their heads, marking them as the vicious Oni of legend, Momotaro's eternal foes.

" **Die by the hands of your brethren while I do my duty,** " Momotaro called as he left the building, leaving the trio to their fate.

The three ogres growled, lifting their weapons as they eyed the three with nothing but savage thoughts.

"Tsubaki, Yura, can either of you fight?' Mike tensed, preparing to go all out if he needed to.

"Not...not well," Tsubaki grimaced. "Even with the Heretic God leaving, these constructs still give off divine power and it's sapping me."

"Me too," Yura gasped, unable to even stand even in the presence of the three constructs.

"Well shit," Mike hissed. It was all he got out before the Oni lunged for him and the girls. He quickly reached into himself, visualising that beautiful kingly tapestry only now it had grown, extended to include a scene of a white horse drinking at a river. He focused on the finery surrounding the king, illuminating it while everything else turned gray. " _Deep within the earth, my reign grows onward. My wealth swells, my treasures increase, all for the prosperity of my kingdom. The vaults are locked to all but me and now I shall open the doors and bask in the radiant glow!_ "

Mike's body began to glow with his own divine power before he lifted his arms, causing a row of pillars to erupt between him and the Oni. The trio of beasts roared before their konabos began to crash against the barrier, causing the pillars to rumble and some to crack.

"That won't hold them for long," Mike grimaced.

"Just forget about us," Tsubaki coughed. "Defending us will just hold you back and you are the only one who is able to fight him and protect Kaichou!"

"Oh don't start that self-sacrificing line with me!" Mike hissed. "If I begin letting loose then the added divine power I give off may as well kill you!"

"Well it's not as if you can give us a divine blessing or something!" Tsubaki argued back.

Mike opened his mouth to argue when he got struck by an idea. It was stupid, unlikely to work given who he was talking to, and something he definitely was not comfortable doing. Still, if it worked it might be able to get Tsubaki and Yura back into the fight as well as protect them from the aura of a Heretic God.

"Villetta's going to love this," he sighed, ignoring as a deep crack ran through one of the pillars. "Tsubaki, Yura, what do you two think of me?"

"Eh?" both girls blinked.

"I've got an idea to get you two back into the fight, but for it to work I need to know if you two find me attractive, like, boyfriend material," Mike explained, blushing a bit at the last part.

"What?!" Tsubaki blinked, her glasses tilting. "Is this really the time?"

"If I want this to work, I need to know!" Mike insisted.

"Well, kind of," Yura admitted, more at ease despite her pain. It didn't stop her from blushing or Tsubaki from gaping at her. "Issei told all of us about how you fought Siegfried, a Heretic God. He told it almost word for word the way you told him. Getting busted up in a man to man fight and then winning out by just having that little bit of ingenuity. I kinda think men fighting like that is hot. I love a guy who doesn't mind getting caked in mud, you know?"

"Okay," Mike nodded. He looked to Tsubaki, "And you?"

"I...I…" Tsubaki grimaced, but flinched when another pillar cracked with a third following it. "Okay! I like a princely guy like Kiba. Seeing you step into the role is very attractive to me! I like your manners and how respectful you treat everyone unless they don't deserve it. Rias told us about that meeting with Riser Phenix and I thought you sounded hot being so fitting as a noble, satisfied?!" she finished with a red blush, but looking like she was betraying someone even if she wasn't.

"Works for me," Mike nodded, grimacing as the top of a pillar broke off. Grimacing, he reached to the tapestry again, this time aiming for the women depicted in it. He focused on what Tsubaki and Yura told him. He also focused on what he found attractive about the two: Tsubaki's serious yet friendly manner and how reliable she was. Someone who he respected soon after even meeting her. She had a passion to her ways which was hard to say, making her an alluring mystery. Yura on the other hand had a sportiness and casual demeanor he felt relaxed with. She was a tomboy who he didn't have to put on airs for. He could just be himself.

It was enough.

"This may get...invasive," Mike grimaced as he saw the women in the mental tapestry become highlighted. " _Ye woman of beauty, intellect, and charm, I reach out my hand to you. I shall take you as my mistress to protect and to please. I shall accept your devotion, your adoration, and your subservience. Be reborn as my mistress!_ "

His body lit up with gold again before he moved to Tsubaki, pulling her into his arms with a yelp before his passionately kissed her. The gold aura passed to the bespectacled girl who gasped into the kiss, but then moaned and began to return it, wrapping her arms around Mike. Her body felt flushed and hot, but no longer did she feel the pain of divine power nearby. In her mind though, she began feeling rapture. A prince? Why would she want a prince like Kiba when she could have a king like Mike? Oh she could keep that _hot, passionate_ kiss going on forever…

' _No, duty first. Grab ass later!_ ' Tsubaki reminded herself as she reluctantly broke the kiss. Her logic tried to remind her that it was just an effect of the Authority made to enhance what feelings she had for Mike...but they just felt so _good!_

Mike turned to Yura before he got to his knees next to her. Helping her sit up, he tilted her face to his before repeating the process. Yura groaned as the pain from the divine was blasted from her body, leaving humming pleasure in its wake. Her body revelled in the feeling of his kiss and she grabbed the front of his shirt to pull his lips tighter against hers. Such a _man_ who was helping himself to her body! His raw power, able to take on gods just because he did what he felt was right! How could she have not just jumped him the first chance she got?

Mike broke the kiss and Yura gave off a whine, wanting more tongue action. Panting softly, he helped the bluenette to her feet. Blushing, he looked to the pair as more of the wall broke from the smashing, "Feeling better?"

"Yes Anata," Tsubaki licked her lips, but then summoned a magic circle which brought forth a naginata staff which she took into her hand.

"You bet Sweetie!" Yura grinned, smacking her fist into open palm.

"Good," Mike turned his attention back to the crumbling walls. He snapped his fingers and the ruined pillars dropped back into the earth, leaving the three ogres to stumble. With the three off balance, Mike and his (temporary) girlfriends went on the attack. "Let's kick some ass!"

The trio moved in a hurry. Mike threw his arm forward, causing another stone pillar to erupt from the ground, smashing into a red-skinned ogre which launched out of the building for him to follow. Tsubaki was much more elegant. She had leaped forward, slashing the blue-skinned ogre across the torso before landing behind it, letting the beast collapse onto the ground with a pained roar. Yura on the other hand was the most brutal of all. Tapping into her Rook strength, she promptly slugged her green-skinned ogre across the face, smashing it through the nearest wall and into an old lot.

"You're such a brute sometimes," Tsubaki commented.

"Whatever works," Yura shrugged, flexing her fist. "Seems like we're not stronger or weaker against divine power than the average human like this."

"You're welcome," Mike interjected. "Now let's crush these guys and get moving! We don't have time to waste!"

"Hai Anata/Sweetie!" both girls nodded before they charged at their respective targets.

(LINE BREAK

 **Yura Tsubasa vs. Green Oni**

Yura charged out of the hole she made, seeing the green ogre getting back up to its feet. Even though it was around two and a half times larger than her, she wasn't intimidated by it. She'd seen worse in the Stray Devils she and the rest of Sona's peerage would hunt down by request of the nobility. Now those twisted former Devils were terrifying to look at.

The ogre bellowed and grabbed its kanabo before swinging wide at Yura. The bluenette grinned, diving to roll underneath the blow bfore coming up to her her target's knee, rearing back her fist to pulp the kneecap. As she got up into a crouch to do the job though, said kneecap was suddenly coming at at her.

*KRACK!*

The oni's knee smashed into her face which thanks to his muscle and mass, took her off her feet before she crashed into some old crates, crushing them. Thanks to her natural toughness as a Rook, Yura only had a headache and some dizziness. Shaking her head, she tried to get back into the fight only to see the giant kanabo coming down on her.

"Crap!" she hissed.

*WHAM!*

The ancient weapon came down like an anvil, smashing into the space Yura occupied. The concrete underneath it cracked and dust blasted from the strike. The Oni chuckled in his own primitive way, happy to have finally gotten to kill something. It then began to twist the Kanabo, hoping to see the gruesome picture. As it tried though, it suddenly felt the weapon get stuck on something before it... _pushed back?_

The iron weapon was suddenly pushed up, revealing Yura underneath, having caught the weapon and pushing against it with her arms and legs, using as much of her Rook strength as she could. The ogre snarled at the sight and began pushing back down on its weapon, trying to smash the high school girl underneath of it once and for all.

' _Better thank Kaichou for that fitness regimen,_ ' Yura grit her teeth. Sona wasn't the type to let her Peerage stumble and try to discover their own means of keeping their skills sharp unless it was the right thing to do. So she had put several of them into training exercises to maximize their skills and cover their weaknesses. Yura's own regimen kept her strength peaked as much as possible, hence how she was at least able to keep the kanabo from crushing her. ' _Better move fast or else this thing will turn me into paste!_ '

Flattening on her back, she kicked up at the kanabo's surface with the strength she had available to her. The effect was instant as the ogre's arms couldn't keep it down enough, giving Yura the space to roll to safety. The kanabo came back down with a crash, but Yura was already out of the way.

Rolling to her feet in a crouched position, she launched herself at the oni. Although she wasn't fast as a Rook like say the Knights, she could be pretty quick thanks to her sports background. Reaching the surprised Oni, she leaped up before planting a Rook-powered uppercut directly to its green chin. The sound of bone cracking echoed before the ogre fell back, bellowing in pain from the strike.

She didn't remain idle as she ran to the handle of the kanabo and with a roar, hefted the iron weapon up into the air. Grimacing under the weight, she launched herself at the ogre with a ferocious cry. The green-skinned beast struggled to sit up, but it was cut off from doing even that much as Yura brought the weapon down in a sickening crunch right on top of its head. At first there was a splash of blood, but it vanished into gold dust as the rest of its body followed.

Yura landed on the ground, the kanabo she held likewise turned to dust. She grinned victoriously although she was panting slightly, "Well, that wasn't so hard."

 **Tsubaki Shinra vs. Blue Ogre**

The vice president grimaced as she dipped around the strike from her own conjured foe. Fortunately, as a Queen, she had qualities of a Bishop, Rook, and a Knight, giving her the enhanced magic reserves, enhanced strength, and enhanced speed which the rest of her friends in her peerage enjoyed. It certainly made dodging the ogre's strikes easier as well as taking what glancing blows she was nicked by.

The problem was that she wasn't able to cut the damn monster as deeply as she wanted for a finishing blow. Its hide was just too thick, even with her level of strength. The most she could really do was some superficial damage. It would hurt the ogre, but rather than keep it down it would just piss it off even more and have it rampage further to try and kill her.

The beast roared in pain and rage before swinging wildly at Tsubaki, forcing the Queen to dive to the side to avoid being smashed. The kanabo crashed heavily, causing a crater. Rolling with her momentum, Tsubaki stopped in a crouch before she raised her hand, summoning several magic circles of the Sitri Clan. The blue circles flashed before high-pressure streams of water shot out of them, crashing into the ogre's face and torso. Once again the beast bellowed before the pressure of the blasts caused it to stumble backwards and crash into a wall. Tsubaki smirked before she ended the flow, confident in her victory. Once the streams ended though, the ogre snarled and pushed itself back to its feet, looking just as pissed off as ever.

"What?!" Tsubaki gasped, but then grimaced as the answer came to her. "Right, conjured by divine power. My magic would not even come close to hurting you. The momentum of the water just took you off-balance."

Tsubaki stood up and gripped her weapon of choice as the ogre raised his kanabo. She just frowned at the beast, "Very well. I only save this for special occasions since I dislike using it. My family all but ostracized me because of it."

The ogre roared and charged again, crossing the distance between them with surprising speed before swinging at her with all of its strength.

" _Mirror Alice!_ " Tsubaki called out.

Suddenly, between Tsubaki and the ogre appeared a large mirror. It didn't appear to be anything special, simply being a large pane of rectangular glass which reflected the ogre's image as it was in mid-swing. Naturally it didn't bother with the glass and continued its attack. The kanabo was aimed well and it struck the glass of Tsubaki's magic, but it promptly stopped there. The ogre suddenly was launched back as if struck by some invisible force before it crashed into the far wall again. This time, it was not nearly as untouched. It's chest was caved in and the beast was gasping for air with large bulging eyes showing agonizing pain.

"Surprised? That is my Sacred Gear, Mirror Alice," Tsubaki smirked as she approached the downed ogre. "My birth family, the Shinra Clan feared and hated me because its random flashes of power would show images of strange creatures. Once the Sitri took me in though, we discovered its power. I can generate special mirrors that when they're broken, they reflect double the damage at whoever hit them. It seems you hit that one rather hard, didn't you?"

The ogre gurgled as gold dust dripped from its mouth and the widening hole in its chest.

"I was a little worried it may not work on you, being generated by a Heretic God. But I guess since Sacred Gears were created by God there isn't any trouble then," Tsubaki continued to smirk as she raised her weapon. "Here, let me end the pain. I'm on a bit of a schedule and Anata and Kaichou would so hate us to be late."

She thrust with her naginata, piercing the ogre through the hole in its chest. The beast bellowed again, but it was the final blow to their fight. The ogre slumped over and dissolved into gold dust, prompting Tsubaki to bring back her weapon before bringing out a handkerchief to clean the blade of whatever remained of the beast.

"Now then, where is Anata? We can't afford to waste time," she frowned as she looked to where her (temporary) boyfriend was in the midst of his own fight.

 **Michael Summers vs. Red Ogre**

"I don't have time for this shit!" Michael hissed as he walked towards the recovering ogre. "Since I'm a sporting guy, you get one shot at hitting me. Now, use it or lose it!"

The red ogre snarled before pulling itself up to its feet. With its rusty kanabo in hand, it bellowed challengingly before charging at the lone Campione. Michael didn't move and merely crossed his arms, waiting for the attack to come. Normally he'd perhaps be a little more wary, but knowing what Momotaro intended for Kuoh Academy, he was in no mood to play it safe anymore. He had to crush the ogre and fast!

The beast came in fast and swung hard, intent on killing Michael in one fell swoop. The kanabo came down and in one moment, it looked like it would strike true. In the next moment though, two pillars of divine marble burst from the ground, blocking the strike completely.

"Oh, too bad. You done goofed," Mike snickered before he snapped his fingers. Twin golden spears burst from the ground, piercing the ogre's knees from behind in bursts of gold dust. The beast roared and collapsed heavily on the pillars in front of it. Mike merely stepped out from behind the barrier and looked at the struggling monster, "This is just a taste of what Momotaro will have to deal with."

He snapped his fingers again before a multitude of spears and even a few swords came out of the ground and pierced the ogre multiple times. The beast gagged more dust before collapsing into dust itself. Mike didn't waste time and instead looked up to the now further destroyed warehouse. Next to the building, he spotted Tsubasa crush her target's head with its own weapon. Inside the building, there was a bellow of pain before it died out.

"Yura! Tsubasa! Are you two done?" Mike called to the building.

"I'm done Sweetie!" Yura laughed, jogging over to Mike with a grin on her lips.

"I am as well," Tsubasa announced before she emerged from the warehouse. "They were challenging, but without their aura weakening us, I had an easier time of it than I thought we would."

Mike shook his head, "I think that's the point. Momotaro at least wanted to make sure I beat them so he could fight me later. He probably figured he'd crush the school before coming back to deal with me after the ogres killed you two."

"That cannot be permitted," Tsubaki frowned. "I'd try to teleport, but Momotaro's presence may disrupt it. You may have given us a blessing to protect us from his aura, but a Devil's magic still becomes useless when a Heretic God gets involved."

"Good thing we've got phones these days," Yura commented, pulling out her cell phone and quickly began typing up a quick message for her King. "Still, Sona and the others aren't going to last long once he gets close enough."

"Fortunately I've got my own way to move fast," Mike nodded before he turned to the open street. " _By the trial of th_ _e river Busiltjörn, show me the one worthy to be my steed. Show me the one sired by Sleipnir, the steed who shall above all else be worthy of being the mount of a king!_ "

The power reacted quickly, covering Mike in an aura of gold which seemed to leap from his body, taking the form of a horse. When the golden power landed, it solidified, transforming into an actual steed. Mike easily recognized it as the powerful horse that Siegfried rode in an attempt to cut him down. Now that same steed belonged to Mike, a steed fit for a king.

"Let's mount up." Mike approached the horse. It waited obediently, barely even making a sound as he did so.

"Um, will there be enough room for us?" asked Yura, sending off her message. For all her skepticism though, she and Tsubaki were trying to be the first to be on the horse behind Mike if the swiftness of their approach was any indication.

"Oh yeah. Funny thing is that there's always enough room to ride on Grani, even if it doesn't look it," Mike nodded. "Physics really don't work that well when it comes to stuff made by Heretic Gods."

"Makes sense," Tsubaki nodded, boldly approaching Mike first. The Campione mounted Grani first before he took Tsubaki's hand and helped her up behind him. The vice president didn't waste time before she pressed against Mike's back with a soft smile. Tsubasa frowned slightly, but didn't comment as she mounted the horse behind her Queen.

"Okay then," Mike spoke, taking the reins. "Let's go Grani. YAH!" The horse neighed and immediately took off down the street, hooves sparking across the pavement.

(LINE BREAK)

 **Kuoh Academy**

The rather famous school was quiet, a given that time of night. The only ones there were the members of the Student Council as they were meeting to give reports on their patrols. They were usually ones who stayed late anyway since when one did a Devil's work, they couldn't really hold regular hours. Not with the kinds of folks they did business with.

*SLINK! SLINK! SLNK!*

The front doors of the school were suddenly sliced as if by a sword before a sheer burst of power caused them to be blown in. Rubble and glass crashed to the floor as dust curled in the air. From outside, the crimson-clad form of Momotaro stepped into the building, looking around in anticipation.

" **Oni! I have come to sack your fortress!** " he bellowed. " **Come and face me if you dare!** "

He waited for several moments, but no force came to attack him. Rather than be discouraged, he actually snickered at the lack of resistance, " **Ah, playing it cautious are we? A true sign of wisdom no doubt. A cunning foe is just as satisfactory as a powerful one. I will play this game.** "

Sheathing his sword, the Heretic God began walking through the main hall of Kuoh, keeping an eye on his surroundings. Eager for battle he may have been, but he was no fool. He understood tactics well even though he much rather preferred a straight up battle. Still, nothing was more satisfying than to let the enemy make any preparation it wanted, and then plow right through it anyway. It made the victory all the sweeter.

Walking past the stairways, Momotaro played along with the Devils' plan, whatever it may be. He quickly got his answer as after stepping on one particular tile, several magic circles consisting of blue power from the Sitri Clan lit up. All of them were facing the Heretic God before unleashing streams of pure energy at him. Momotaro snickered and didn't move as the attacks struck him. The resulting explosion echoed through the air and normally would have drawn in authorities by the droves, but the resident Devils had already put up a barrier to keep the sound from escaping their school.

" **Heh!** " Momotaro snickered, emerging from the smoke none the worse for wear. " **A minor inconvenience, nothing more!** "

" _Just a way of keeping you interested, Heretic God,_ " Sona's voice rang, her voice magically amplified. " _I trust you have to trouble finding us just from my voice?_ "

" **All too easy,** " Momotaro laughed. He followed Sona's voice, coming to the back of the school. Of course, there weren't any doors there, but he instead made his own by drawing his sword and slashing the way, cutting it wide open with his monstrous strength. Coming out into the sports field of Kuoh, he spied Sona standing in the middle of the track and field ring, impeccable as ever despite the pale hue in her skin.

" **Poised and elegant, what a pretty little Oni you are,** " Momotaro laughed. " **But I will not be swayed by such things. Prepare to be vanquished!** "

"Please, by all means do try," Sona frowned. She then raised her hand before snapping her fingers, a noise which echoed through the night air.

Several circles of blue light appeared around Momotaro before the remaining members of Sona's Peerage appeared. They were pale and quickly getting worse, taking the divine aura of Momotaro rather poorly. Still, they acted fast and created magic circles in their hands before lashing out with chains of magic power. The chains wrapped around Momotaro's body, pinning his limbs in place.

"Saji, now!" Sona barked.

"Right!" Saji grunted, standing up from behind Momotaro, the only member who wasn't casting a chain. He lifted his fist and pointed it at Momotaro's back. " _ABSORPTION LINE!_ "

The back of Saji's fist lit up with purple power, forming into a black reptilian head with purple eyes and a tail wrapped around his wrist. Pointing it at Momotaro, the mouth of the device opened before a tongue snapped out and attached to Momotaro's back. The organ then began to glow, appearing to be syphoning the Heretic God's energy into itself.

" **Ah, one of the Christian God's little trinkets eh? Those would have the ability to affect me,** " Momotaros laughed. " **Well, it would be a good plan save for one fact. Do you honestly think you'd be able to suck enough of my own power away to make a difference?** "

"Every little bit counts!" Saji grinned, but then grimaced as a bolt of sheer pain cut through his body. "Wh-what?!"

" **The syphon would indeed work on me, it being from a Sacred Gear, a relic crafted by a god, but you are an Oni and are touching an object which is filling with divine power. Worse yet, it is a part of you,** " Momotaro laughed. " **Surely you can see my point?** "

Saji grimaced as smoke lifted from where the Absorption Line was touching his skin. Red blemishes and burns began to spread up his arm. Gritting his teeth, he looked up at the Heretic God that was looking over his shoulder at him.

"Saji! Stop it!" Sona cried to her Pawn. Saji was still new to using his Sacred Gear in such a way, Sona having just figured it out herself and had Saji try to implement in face of the emergency rather than discovering it himself. She hoped its draconic aspects would keep Saji safe from the Heretic God's power, but the power had to go somewhere and now it was hurting him! "That's enough! Undo the line!"

"Ngh! Not yet!" Saji hissed and pushed for the Absorption Line to draw even more from Momotaro. He soon regretted the decision as he felt like his arm was on fire, the burns spreading up under his sleeve with open wounds following, dripping his blood onto the ground. "GAH! I...I just need a little more!"

"Gen-chan!" Momo cried out. "If you take too much, you'll die!"

"Heh! Nowhere near enough! Ngh!" Saji grinned, but then coughed as he spat out some blood. "Shit this hurts!"

" **As it should for a lowly Oni such as you,** " Momotaro scoffed. " **But don't worry. That will soon end!** " Momotaro flexed his arms before unleashing a bellow more in line to an animal than a man. He unleashed his strength, shattering the chains which held him and knocked all of the Peerage members back. Even Absoption Line was knocked loose as Saji stumbled back, groaning in pain as his arm bled out.

Momotaro cracked his neck and drew his sword, pointing it at Sona, " **Now then, you shall be the first, my little cunning Oni.** "

"Tsk!" Sona grit her teeth.

" _Hold it asshole!_ "

Sona's eyes widened as out from the forests surrounding Kuoh, a magnificent white horse burst onto the sports field. Charging in close, two figures leaped from the horse before coming back down, landing powerful kicks to Momotaro's torso, launching the red samurai clear across the field where he smashed into the school, blowing another hole in the wall. Sona blinked, but then saw the two attackers land, revealing her Queen and Rook standing proudly.

"Tsubaki? Yura?" Sona blinked.

"Hello Sona," Tsubaki glanced over her shoulder with a smile.

"Are we late for the party?" Yura grinned at her King.

Coming up from behind was the horse and the final rider leaped off, revealing Mike, "Sorry we couldn't get here sooner Sona. Momotaro decided to leave us some party favors to slow us down."

"Forgiven," Sona nodded. "But how were Yura and Tsubaki able to strike him? Being that close to a Heretic God would have drained their strength utterly."

Mike grimace, "Um...well…"

"Oh, just a _divine blessing_ our sweetie gave us!" Yura grinned, trotting up to Mike and taking an arm, pressing it into her cleavage.

"A most advantageous one," Tsubaki agreed, elegantly taking up Mike's other arm despite her weapon and pressing his arm just as deeply into her own boobs.

"H-hey! Hold on! We agreed it was temporary!" Mike sputtered. He glanced at Sona who had a suspicious frown on her features. "Okay! Okay! I had to use _**Harem of the King**_ to protect them from divine power but it's reversible, I swear!"

"It had better be," Sona frowned. "Otherwise I _will_ have you take responsibility for seducing two members of my Peerage."

" **Ah, so the main event arrives,** " Momotaro's voice rang before the Heretic God walked out from the dust of the damaged school. " **Excellent. I know those other Oni would be no match for you. Although, I had intended our battle to be a single affair after I cleaned up this place of the Oni already here.** "

"Oh yeah? Well that's just too bad," Mike frowned, slipping free of Yura and Tsubaki. "Sona, you get the others out of here. I don't want them caught in the crossfire since I know we're going to rock this place. Hopefully we can avoid levelling Kuoh, but…"

"I understand," Sona nodded. "Tsubaki, Yura, with me!"

"Right!" both girls nodded before they took off with their king, racing to retrieve their fellow Devils before the battle grew too intense.

Momotaro graciously allowed the Devils to clear the field between him and Mike. Once all of them were gone in a flash of blue, he stepped onto the field proper again, " **Well, shall we begin?** "

"Lets!" Mike hissed, lashing out with his hand. "Eat this!"

The soil erupted in dozens of spears, swords, and other pointed implements, all made of gold, launching themselves at Momotaro from the ground, or erupting near him in an attempt to stab him. The crimson samurai quickly drew his sword back before slashing with both hands. All of the weapons within the blade's range were sliced apart or knocked aside, bent horribly. However, the shockwave burst through the air, crashing into Mike and sending him sailing backwards where he crashed into a tree, knocking it over from the force.

"GUH!" he heaved, rolling onto the ground. Gasping for breath, he forced himself up despite the pain in the back, "The hell? I didn't feel any power from that attack. It was like he just swung it so hard the extra force from the swing was knocked into me."

" **That's exactly what I did,** " Momotaro announced, walking among the broken gold weapons. " **You obviously do not know my legends. I have the strength of more than a dozen men! Easily able to wrestle down Oni without a problem. One strike may just be enough to end you, but a near miss will still be devastating.** "

"Then I'd better not get hit then," Mike retorted, reaffirming his stance. If this guy was just that strong, it was time for something new! " _Deep within the earth, my reign grows onward. My wealth swells, my treasures increase, all for the prosperity of my kingdom. The vaults are locked to all but me and now I shall open the doors and bask in the radiant glow!_ "

The ground rumbled and began to crack again, but not around Momotaro. Instead, it cracked around Mike's feet before erupting. From the depths came not weapons, but pieces of gold plating supported with patches of leather. The pieces collected around Mike's body before securing itself to him, hidden leather straps tying themselves tightly to his body. In a matter of moments, he was completed adorned in golden armor like a soldier of Solomon's court, his torso adorned with thick layers of divine leather and further protected by gold plating. His arms and legs, covered in golden armor which conformed perfectly to his limbs down to the fingers, and his helmet, which held a faceplate which looked like a Roman statue, hid every inch of his flesh from view. Around his neck was a red cape which hung down his back. In fact, he looked very similar to a Roman soldier, an image influenced by Renaissance images of Solomon's court and reflected in the Authority.

" **Oh? A duel is it?** " Momotaro chuckled.

"Yeah," Mike nodded, snapping his armored fingers. A gladius sword and a round shield burst from the ground at the gesture, landing in his hands. "Now let's have our swords do the talking!"

" **Fine words!** " Momotaro retorted before the pair of them lunged at one another.

The two began throwing slashes at one another, causing bright sparks to fly from where the impacts were made. There was no real skill behind it. Mike barely held a sword and shield before, most of his experience coming from testing out the weapons he had with some exercise. Villetta had offered lessons, but her style of swordsmanship was European, nothing like the styles which were dominant in Solomon's age and thus, no similar weapons to use in Mike's arsenal. Momotaro on the other hand seemed to only have the basic understanding of how to use a katana. No advanced skills, just the basics to using it supplemented by his immense strength.

It short, it was a slugfest with swords.

*CLANG! WHAM! CRASH! CLANG! SHING CLANG! CRUNCH!"

The two lashed out at each other, and despite being in the middle of the track, with nothing around, they were still bringing hell down on the surroundings. Mike's weapons proved their sharpness by gouging out the soil as Momotaro deflected them, or cutting into trees as the moving blade brawl went to close to some of the trees. The Heretic God on the other hand was doing much worse. His blows displaced the air, causing objects far from the fight to be smashed from the force of the blows which were missing Mike. Already several more trees were pulverised and knocked over. The equipment shed was a loss, and several more holes had been blows into Kuoh's back wall as the fight turned in the various directions.

Mike grunted as his arms rang out in pain while blocking another blow with his shield. Far from pristine, the thing was battered with multiple huge dents littering it. His sword wasn't much better with cracks and dents along its still sharp edge. Gold was great for a lot of things, but extended battles was not one of them. Still, it was divine gold and it would last for a while yet. With Mike's own Campione endurance helping him weather the blows, he kept swinging away at Momotaro. Each blow met the edge of the peach boy's katana, bringing more sparks, but not one strike came close to hitting his armor. Every angle he swung at, Momotaro was able to raise a defense before retaliating with a powerfully heavy blow.

" **You have spirit, but obviously no experience!** " Momotaro laughed, stopping another strike and pressing close so that their eyes could meet even from behind the masks. " **Attacking blindly will not win you this battle!** "

"You're not much better!" Mike hissed back, short on breath. "Where's all that sword mastery Japanese heroes are known for? You're just swinging like I am!"

Far from insulted, Momotaro chuckled, " **Oh? Like this?** " Breaking the hold, Momotaro swung his sword wide and caught Mike across the torso. The golden armor shrieked from the sudden impact, but the force of the blow took Mike clear off his feet before he was launched across the sports field. He skipped across the dirt before crashing into the tennis court, smashing through the fence before cratering in the court himself.

Mike wheezed, the breath knocked out of him and he felt his armor dented deeply, sticking into his chest. Were it not for the armor and his own toughness as a Campione, Mike was pretty damn sure that he would have been cut in half. The sword wasn't anything special, but with Momotaro's strength behind it, it likely could cut just about anything.

Not one to waste an opportunity, Momotaro charged for his recovering foe with his sword raised. Now victory would be his and so would the glory!

*SHOOM!*

Momotaro stopped and leaped back as a pair of spears made of pure light shot down from above, piercing the ground before him. He looked up and spotted a pair of women with black wings hovering in the air, more spears at the ready. Mike followed his gaze and spied Mittelt and Kalawarner in their regular outfits, smirking down at the Heretic God.

"Lord Summers!" Mike turned and spied Villetta and Cornelia dashing to his side. Villetta was adorned in a magenta battle outfit. It at first looked like a one-piece which had black sides and a gold bird-like crest emblazoned on her chest. Black cloth hung from the sides like a coat, not doubt having enchantments woven into it for protection. She likewise wore thigh high black boots and had magenta gloves reaching up her arms. Her long ponytail was likewise done up in a more functional bun. Gribbed in her hand was a sabre, although certainly functional, the gold hilt made it seem more like a show piece.

Cornelia was dressed in something a bit less showy. She was dressed in white trousers which had thigh high red boots with black bands around her thighs. Her blouse was sleeveless and was white for the top half with a gold line running across her chest while the rest was red. She also wore red gloves to protect her arms which had gold crosses placed on her elbows. Her sword appeared to be a more functional piece, meant to be used rather than a wand for magic like Villetta's was more geared for. Both skidded to a halt in front of Mike, their swords raised in preparation for a fight.

"Are you well Lord Summers?" asked Cornelia, her eyes never leaving Momotaro.

"Well enough," Mike grunted before he stood up. "Glad you got my message."

"As if detecting the presence of a Heretic God wasn't obvious enough" Villetta frowned. "Your message just told us you were already in the middle of things."

"Yeah. Seems par the course for me now," Mike agreed. As he rode Grani, he had texted Villetta to let her know what was going on and to regroup at Kuoh so they might be able to keep Momotaro from levelling the place, or at least keep the mundanes out of it. "Are the barriers in place?"

"Yes. Ms. Sitri and her Peerage are offering secondary barriers as an added precaution," Cornelia reported. "There is no longer a reason to hold back."

"Good," Mike nodded. "Then back up and I'll take care of the rest."

Mike stepped past his two officers, staring down Momotaro once again. The red samurai was hardly upset though, but was instead chuckling as he looked up at the two Fallen, " **So you allied with the Karasu Tengu did you? Another layer of the challenge, but more glory to be had in the end!** " he reached down to the pouch on his belt, " **But it seems now this is a challenge worthy of all my forces, not merely just me.** "

Reaching into the pouch, he retrieved what appeared to be three dumplings which looked absolutely delicious and despite the situation, everyone felt their stomachs gurgle when they were brought out. The smell wafting from the food just made it worse.

" _ **I call out to my closest allies, comrades through life and death, the ones who are my brothers in all but blood! Come to my call, the enemy awaits us amidst the cries of sorrow from the masses! Let us heed that cry!**_ " Momotaro threw the three dumplings into the air, causing them to burst like flashbangs. In the centre of the three bursts, the familiar forms of his three animal friends appeared. The light then converged on the three, prompting them to begin growing, becoming larger and fiercer.

"...shit," Mike tensed.

The light dimmed, revealing the three empowered animals. The Dog had become the size of a bus, growling and snarling at the groups of enemies, looking more like a golden wolf than the dog he had been. Next to him was the monkey, roughly the same size, but appearing more like a silver gorilla with a bright red face and muscled arms. Above, the Pheasant let out a shriek, soaring above it all with trailing feathers like the phoenix.

" **Behold my greatest and most trusted comrades!** " Momotaro boasted. " **Behold the destroyers of the Oni armies and their allies! My comrades to ultimate glory!** " He pointed his sword at his enemies, " **Attack!** "

It was all the provocation the trio of animals needed as they charged. The Pheasant took after the two fallen while the Monkey and the Dog bellowed and charged for Mike and his friends.

"Lord Summers, we can handle these two!" Cornelia announced, staring down the approaching Monkey. "You concentrate on the Heretic God! Once he is defeated then these three will disappear!"

"Fine!" Mike grunted. His heart didn't like it, but his mind knew that it was the most tactically sound decision. "But if you die on me, so help me I'll get an Authority to revive the dead and bring you back just to kill you all over again!"

"Then we had better not die then, shouldn't we?" Villetta smirked.

Mike nodded before he charged, not even trying to stop the approaching beasts and let his knights deal with them. Facing down the two beasts, Villetta and Cornelia both knew that they were going to be in for a fight. While fighting beasts generated by Heretic Gods would not be as bleak as fighting the Heretic Gods themselves, it was still an unsavory option. Still, both women knew they wouldn't have to win, just hold off the beasts long enough for Mike to kill Momotaro and cause the trio to vanish.

Villetta grit her teeth and lifted her sword, "We can't afford to take the soft route. Hit them hard and fast!" Her rapier began to glow with red light as she conjured her enhanced power. " _I invoke the name of the Table Round, Giant Slayer, I seek your strength! By your name let all my great enemies be crushed! Sir Bedivere!_ "

A blast of light emerged from behind Viletta, emerging in the image of a giant knight in armor making them appear to be a giant in themselves. The magic power then solidified, forming into silver armor with a blue plume coming from the slitted helmet. The knight held a sword so large it was not possible for a regular human to do so.

"Agreed!" Cornelia nodded, adopting a similar stance. " _I beseech the name of the Table Round, Keeper of the King's Law, I seek your steel! By your name, let the arsenal of the king be laid out before me! Sir Kay!_ "

A white blast of power came from Cornelia, forming into a shining white knight with ornate and showy armor. Rather than solidify like Villetta's knight did, the image condensed onto Cornelia's sword, turning it from the regular blade it had been, to a polished silver and steel broadsword, forcing her to use two hands to hold it up.

"Let's go!" Cornelia barked before she and Villetta's construct charged for the twin beasts.

Above them, Mittelt cussed as the Pheasant flew at her. She flew past to avoid being struck, but part of her skirt was sliced open from where the bird's feathers and brushed her, "Shit! Why the hell are we doing this again?!"

"Because it's better than going it alone with Kokabiel's supporters waiting to cut us down!" Kalawarner grunted, hurling her spear at the Pheasant, only for its feathers to deflect the bladed weapon. "Dammit! Its feathers must be like steel!"

"Well no shit!" Mittelt hissed. "What's the point of having divinity if you can't even take on other divine?!"

Down below, Mike continued his charge to the stationary Momotaro. He knew the Heretic God was better and stronger than him. Still, Mike had his own trump card ready to use since for all Momotaro's strength, he wasn't known for his brains!

" _Oh ye, I beseech thy Lord for the sake of my people. I shall tell right from wrong, good from evil, and truth from lies. Let my wisdom come forth and solve all woes of my people. I shall be the one whose wisdom shall end all quarrel and strife!"_

The light of Mike's power first came from his eyepieces, making the eyes shine golden. Then around the seams in the armor, more light began to shine, making the Eighth Campione appear as if he was a glowing entity of old. He continued his charge towards Momotaro, but the peach boy was not concerned. He believed himself to be naturally superior, being a God and also a righteous one compared to a Campione who sided with Devils.

" **HAH!** " Momotaro bellowed, slashing at Mike's head to see...he was gone?

*CRUNCH!*

" **Guh!** " the Heretic felt the impact against his side and looked down, seeing the edge of Mike's shield smashing into his side, the side where his swords were sheathed, bashing into his side. The force sent the red samurai stumbling back. Struggling to get his footing back, he prepared to strike, but was too late as from the same angle, Mike slashed upwards, cutting the first layer of leather on Momotaro's armor, making the Heretic God stumble back further. " **Curse you! How dare you mar my armor?!** "

"But you left such a wide opening," Mike retorted, his voice sounding ancient and powerful, like a divine entity in itself. "I'd be the fool if I didn't exploit it."

Momotaro growled and lunged for a second strike. Mike blocked the blow before rolling around the samurai's open side and slashed at him. Momotaro managed to react in time, lowering his arm to let the blade crash against his armored arm instead. The leather broke, but layers of it held as Momotaro twisted to try and behead Mike. Once more, Mike dipped under the blow before leaping up, smashing the edge of his shield into Momotaro's face, knocking the samurai onto his back.

" **Damn you!** " Momotaro grunted, pulling himself up to his feet. " **Your skill is the same so how can you land such embarrassing strikes on me?!** "

" _Before, I wasn't just hacking at you for the hell of it,_ " Mike explained, circling around Momotaro. " _I was striking to test your reactions, see which ways you would fight back, learn how you fought. Then when I activated_ _ **Heart of Wisdom**_ **,** _all that knowledge allowed me to see every opening you have._ "

" **Grrrr!** " Momotaro snarled before he lunged for Mike once again. The Heretic God slashed wildly, the force of his strikes missing Mike and causing even more damage to the surroundings. Around them, the fighting was getting worse as Villetta's construct and the Dog smashed into the side of the school in a mad tussle. Elsewhere, Cornelia had transformed her weapon into a polearm as she ducked around the Monkey's wild strikes to aim for weak points such as the knee joints. Above, Mittelt and Kalawarner were diving left and right to avoid the Pheasant's talons while throwing their spears from any angle they could get, to limited success.

In short, it was chaos.

Momotaro made another lunge and Mike parried the strike, using the rounded surface of his shield to redirect the blow, allowing him to slash across Momotaro's torso, cutting deep into the armor once again. The peach boy grunted and stepped back, but he was no longer boasting or proud, instead, he was panting for breath a little heavier than Mike was.

"Ah, so it is true _,_ " Mike nodded, seeing the panting Heretic God. " _I confess that I do know a little bit of your story, although not as much as I would like. Still, one aspect of the tale is coming into play and it is showing itself now. In many interpretations of your story, you were depicted as being quite lazy, arrogant because of your strength, and finally had to be forced to go fight the ogres by the villagers where you called home. I guess it is true to an extent._ "

Momotaro seethed, steam almost coming off of his armor as a red glow surrounded him, " **I! AM! NOT! LAZY! I will not allow such slander to be spoken of me and taint my legend! That is why I rebelled, to show my strength and honor! I will end that ruinous taint!** " A flash of red and the top half of Momotaro's armor vanished, revealing bare skin and a handsome man with wild black hair tied in a ponytail. " **Come! I will show you who is lazy!** "

Momotaro lunged again, this time faster than before with the armor no longer weighing him down. Mike lifted his shield once more, but did not have the time to deflect. Instead, he blocked the full force of the strike as was launched back, smashing into the baseball field, skidding through the pitcher's mound in the process.

"Okay...ow," Mike groaned, struggling to stand. It seemed without the armor, Momotaro wasn't limiting his strength. Considering he wasn't known for wearing an elaborate suit of it, that made sense. It played into Momotaro's lazy aspect of his legend. He was holding back until he couldn't or didn't want to. It seemed that the part of his legend that he was rebelling against was affecting him more than he thought, ' _Now how to use it?_ '

"Come on, think! You have the wisdom of Solomon don't you?" Mike grunted to himself, looking up to see the approaching (and pissed off) Momotaro. He tried to rally his thoughts, trying to pinpoint anything which would help him fight Momotaro and end him before he could try to kill Sona and her peerage.

' _Momotaro only has one flipping legend! He's only fought on army of oni and impressive as that is, he can't-!_ ' Mike thought, but then stopped as an idea hit him. ' _What if...yes...it would make sense. All his grandstanding, all his declarations, every exaggeration he's hit me with..._ ' Mike lifted himself up and faced down the approaching Momotaro.

" **Still think I am lazy, wretch?** " he frowned, lifting his blade.

Mike played it tough, smirking, " _And a braggart. Your legend is indeed famous and well-known, but compared to other Hero gods, it is quite lacking._ "

Momotaro snarled in rage, " **What?!** "

Mike stood tall, although he felt more than a little wobbly, " _Ever since you appeared, you've been making grandstanding ovations, proud declarations. Every move you made was meant to be something big and impressive, meant to gather attention. Yet, during the fight all you've relied on is brute strength and basic moves. Not that I am much better, but one would think a Hero God such as yourself would do better,_ " Mike adjusted himself and stared down the peach boy. " _In your desperation, you've revealed your fatal weakness! You rely on others to help win battles for you! You show off more than fight so to ensure someone sees you! You have no sense of tactics or strategy, merely brute force! You fall for simple teasing such as mine! You've only fought ONE major battle in your entire life! I know your flaw!_ " Mike pointed his sword at Momotaro, " _IGNORANCE!_ "

Momotaro snarled, but picked up the pace of his charge, " **HOW DARE YOU?! I AM MOMOTARO, THE PEACH BOY! MY LEGEND HAS BEEN TOLD FOR CENTURIES! I AM THE INSPIRATION OF CHILDREN EVERYWHERE! WHERE I GO, ONI FALL AND COWER WITH FEAR! I DESCENDED TO WIPE THE ONI FROM THE WORLD TO PROVE MY POWER!** "

" _And yet, we leave childhood behind, leaving you with no more adventures,_ " Mike sighed. " _And since you descended, how many of these Oni were in fact generated by you just to show off and empower your tales? How many of your so-called 'victories' were planned for the sake of your pride?_ "

Momotaro snarled, enraged and looking more like an Oni than Sona or the others did. His charge reached Mike and he leaped to bisect the Campione, " **DIE BASTARD CHILD!** "

"Hup!" Mike leaped to the side, crashing to the ground, the weight of his armor seemingly increasing in the process. As Momotaro came down from his strike, the ground before him cracked before a golden spear shot from the soil and speared him through the chest, his heart specifically, " **GUH!?** "

Mike sighed, getting to his knees, looking to see Momotaro being suspended on the shaft of the golden weapon, gravity forcing him to be pierced further by it, "It is done."

" **Guh….no!** " Momotaro grunted, dropping his sword to grasp the spear. " **I...I cannot lose! I...I am Momotaro! I am the Peach Boy! Beloved by all the children of Nippon! I can't...can't be brought down by...by this!** "

"Yes, yes you can," Mike nodded, standing up. "Perhaps if you were a deity who eventually became Momotaro, this wouldn't be enough. But it seems rather than the new incarnation of a God, you are a first generation one created by the faith people have in the tale of Momotaro." He glanced at Momotaro, seeing the samurai's feet fading into gold dust, indicating the strike had been a deathblow. "I made the mistake of thinking might would let me win, but you were clobbering me. In the end, your own lack of experience shows through and my mind won the day."

" **No! I refuse! I cannot be killed like this! I am the hero! I am the one who is just!** " Momotaro snarled, but the decay to his body merely sped up, coming up to his waist and going further.

"You attacked my friends for no other reason than just because of what they were. They weren't hurting anyone," Mike shook his head, wanting to get his last licks in. "Not very heroic of you, if you ask me."

" **NO! NO! THEY WERE ONI! THEY'RE EVIL!** " Momotaro bellowed as his arms dissolved and the decay reached his neck. " **I AM THE HERO! I AM ALWAYS RIGHT! I ALWAYS WIN! NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOO~!** "

With that, Momotaro's head vanished into gold dust, sending him back to the Domain of Immortality. With any luck, he'd return to being the hero he was instead of the brute he had been down on Earth. Mike sighed and allowed the armor he wore to fall off and clatter to the ground, sinking back into the depths of the soil. He dropped to his knees again, groaning as his _**Heart of Wisdom**_ shut down, leaving one hell of a migraine to deal with.

"Oh I hate this part," he hissed, just waiting for the pounding in his head to begin as the sounds of battle…

...wait, the battles weren't going on now.

"Uki?"

Mike opened his eyes and looked down. There at his knees were what appeared to be three little mascots, tiny animals with large marble-like eyes looking up at him in curiosity. Unsurprisingly, they were a monkey, a dog, and a pheasant, although they looked more like tiny dolls rather than actual animals.

Mike grinned, "So I guess I got you three out of the deal eh? Cool."

Sighing, Mike scooped up the three animals and let them rest on his shoulders. Looking around, he spied his friends off in the distance. Approaching, he saw that Mittelt and Kalawarner were fine, although they did look rather tired. Viletta likewise seemed fine, if not a little winded. Only Cornelia showed she was in a fight, looking scuffed up and dirty, but not harmed.

"Well, that was a thing," Mike sighed as he approached his friends/houseguests. "Everyone okay?"

"We're fine Lord Summers," Cornelia nodded, sheathing her sword. "I take it Momotaro has been defeated?"

"And I made three new friends," Mike grinned cheekily, gesturing to the tiny animals on his shoulders. "Where are Sona and the others? Are they okay?"

"They should be around the school grounds I believe," Villetta reported. "Helping reinforce the barrier which kept this battle private."

"Then let's go relieve them," Mike nodded. "And hopefully get some of that Devil magic to repair this place. We put it through hell tonight."

No could argue that.

(LINE BREAK)

Fortunately, repairing Kuoh was easy since as a Sitri, Sona had access to some very good Devil construction workers. Overnight, they managed to repair the school and all of the damage done to it by the fight with Momotaro. Thanks to the barriers keeping the mundane away and the construction, no one was the wiser about the destruction caused the previous night when the students began to pour in for a new day of school.

Unfortunately, Mike still had to attend. Not out of a duty for his scholarship or anything like that. Sona had insisted with that bespectacled glare of hers that Mike attend. Since he had in a way seduced two members of her Peerage, he felt he had to do it if only to undo the blessing and return the two girls to normal. No doubt that was going to be an embarrassing adventure in itself.

As he stepped onto the school grounds though, he had no idea that he was being watched. Standing atop the school, hiding her power of course, stood Tamamo-no-mae. No longer garbed in a school uniform, but instead in a short, cleavage-baring kimono with detached sleeves which revealed her shapely legs covered in blue stockings. Although impractical, her geta held fast on the angled portion of the rooftop. She smiled down at Mike with a mysterious smile.

"Round one to you Campione-kun," she whispered. "I can't wait to see what other tricks you have in store for your enemies."

 **To Be Continued...**

 **Bonds of Brotherhood:** _I call out to my closest allies, comrades through life and death, the ones who are my brothers in all but blood! Come to my call, the enemy awaits us amidst the cries of sorrow from the masses! Let us heed that cry!_

This Authority allows the user to manifest the three legendary animals who assisted Momotaro in his journey to fight the oni. All three are manifested in the forms of divine beasts as a dog, pheasant, and a monkey and a can be large, being large enough to combat the famous oni of old, or be in the form cute tiny mascots who follow their master around. The dog is capable of incredible speeds on land, and his claws are able to rend stone and wood easily. The pheasant holds superior flying capabilities and feathers which are as sharp and as durable as blades. The monkey is the most agile and intelligent, able to dip around foes before crushing them. For a Campione, the summoning of these three requires an offering of food, the higher quality and bigger the offering, the longer the trio can stay and the more powerful they will be. They can be replenished without dismissing them, but that requires even more food for them to feast on.


	7. The Days After

**I do not own Campione, High School DxD, or the elements of Code Geass that I chose to incorporate into this story. I am only writing this for fun and not for any sort of profit. If you do not like this story then you are free to leave it and find something more to your tastes. For those you that remain, I hope you continue to enjoy and support the story.**

 **God Slayer DxD**

 **By Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Chapter 7: The Days After**

 **Kuoh Academy**

"Another day, another yawn," Mike yawned as he headed to school for yet another day. It had been a week since Momotaro's attempt at claiming glory by destroying all of the Devils in Kuoh, namely Sona and her Peerage. Fortunately, no one was grievously injured. The worst was Saji who had tried using his Sacred Gear to syphon off Momotaro's power. It left his arm covered in bad burns and open wounds, forcing him to take the day off while he recovered, assisted by Momo and Ruruko of course. Fortunately the damage to the school property was able to be fixed thanks to Devil magic, although Sona hadn't been pleased with the damage done despite how easy it was to repair it. She had given Mike the Evil Eye for a whole day despite how he'd been the one to stop the rampage.

Still, there were some things which were lingering from that particular incident.

"Hey Sweetie!" Mike looked up and suddenly had his arm captured by Yura Tsubasa, pinning it with her own and a smile on her lips.

"Hey Yura," Mike grinned weakly. Around him, he heard whispers from other students as they took notice of one of the top sports girls paying such obvious attention to the new kid in school. "You know, you don't have to call me that. My Authority isn't active on you anymore."

Yura huffed, "Oh come on. Can't I want to cozy up with you because I genuinely like you? You don't need an Authority to be attractive to me you know."

Mike flushed slightly, "Well, I kinda didn't think I was your type and all…"

"Oh come on, you're _totally_ my type," Yura grinned. "Don't think Tsubaki and I weren't watching your brawl with Momotaro like a good pair of devoted mistresses. That all out brawl just showed exactly what I like in a guy." She grinned cheekily, "Come on, I'm not repulsive am I?"

"No, definitely not," Mike shook his head. "You do remember I'm taken, right?"

"Yeah, but I cleared that up with Nu-san already," Yura shrugged as they entered the school. She purposefully took him down a hallway which was for the moment isolated. Miek realized she was about to say something he wasn't going to like since normal people couldn't hear it. "She said I can be the public girlfriend while she'll be your mistress. So it all works out."

Yup, he was right. Mike gagged on air in shock despite half expecting such a reply, "What?! When did you decide this?!"

"Oh, a few days ago," Yura replied. "I wanted to make sure you were really allowed multiple girls before I tried anything. She was really encouraging about it."

"I'll bet," Mike muttered. "Yura, I'm flattered. I really am, but I'm the monogamous type."

"Oh come on! I don't mind it all! Devils have multiple relationships all the time," Yura huffed. "And since you're a Campione there's no stopping you from at least trying. Come on! Don't you want a girlfriend who can actually _be_ your girlfriend?"

"Well…" Mike sighed. Truth be told, for all he called Villetta his girlfriend he really couldn't go out on dates with her or anything. What with the age gap, him a teenager and her a woman, someone was likely to report inappropriate conduct somewhere and get them both into trouble. Sure his clout as a Campione would get any charges removed, but it would no doubt be a nightmare. As much fun as it was to be with her in private, nookie alone did not a healthy relationship make. Issei would swiftly argue otherwise, but the guy was a desperate virgin so what did he know?

"Exactly!" Yura nodded. "So come on, just give me a chance, won't you? I'm not trying to make you break up with her, I just want my fair share."

Mike sighed, dropping his head, "I'll consider it."

"Good! See you after school Sweetie!" Yura grinned, making sure to squeeze his arm between her boobs before she took off for her classroom.

Mike sighed and scratched his head. Despite it reeking of high school drama, he couldn't help but kind of enjoy it. The entire thing just felt normal after all of the Fallen Angel and Heretic God crap which got piled onto him after he arrived at Kuoh. Well, even if the girl aiming for him was secretly a Devil.

"Wonder what else the day has for me."

(LINE BREAK)

 **Classroom 2-B**

"OKAY! FESS UP!"

"Huh?" Mike blinked, staring down the two enraged students standing in front of his desk with their hands pressed on the surface like police interrogators. One had his hair shaved down and rather pronounced ears while the other was a black-haired boy with glasses, both looking a little intense and very pissed off at the Canadian boy for some reason. Although he didn't know the pair, he'd been warned enough about them by both his fellow students and the faculty. They were two thirds of the Perverted Trio, Issei's partners in crime. Matsuda was the boy with the buzz cut while Motohama was the one with the glasses.

"Yeah! Fess up! What the hell are you trying to pull with so many girls, huh?" Matsuda growled.

"What?" Mike blinked. "Okay, you guys lost me. What pissed in your corn flakes?"

"I'll tell you what's up!" Motohama growled, adjusting his glasses. "It seems you've been having a lot of unusual activity in our school! First you got all cozy in the Occult Research Club, even going so far as to hang out there a lot after school!"

"Yeah! Then we heard you're all tight with the Student Council now too!" Matsuda nodded. "Don't deny it either! Everyone saw you heading there after school and we heard you having like, secret meetings in there!"

"Yeah!" Motohama nodded. "And don't try to deny it! You're in so close you've even got Yura Tsubasa the sports idol of the school trying to be your girlfriend!"

"Well…" Mike gulped. He couldn't really deny it, although they were getting the context wrong.

"This just can't fly! You come here and in a few weeks you're already all mixed up with the top ladies in the school! It just ain't fair!" Matsuda bellowed.

"It was bad enough when Kiba had every girl following his footsteps," Motohama grumbled, adjusting his glasses yet again, trying to look menacing…and failing. "Then Issei somehow got himself into the Occult Research Club, no doubt with some blackmail. Now you just swoop in out of nowhere and get tangled up with ALL of the top ladies!"

"So?" Mike blinked. "I'm friends with them. So what?"

" _So what?!_ You're hogging all that hotness to yourself! It just ain't right man!" Matsuda growled, steam almost pouring from his ears. Okay, now Mike knew the pervert was trying to sound like some gangster pimp…and failing.

"Yeah! If you want to fit in here, you'd better be ready to share the wealth!" Motohama nodded, leaning in. "Issei bailed on us and gave us…Mil-tan…but he's our friend so there's only so much retribution we can rain down on him! You on the other hand…"

"Are you… _threatening_ me to introduce you to the girls of the ORC and Student Council?" Mike frowned.

"Damn right!" Matsuda grinned. "You'd better share us some digits and make for some intros or else we'll spread so many gay rumors about you the whole town will think you're bent!"

"Yeah, your chance for some play will pretty much vanish if you don't," Motohama snickered.

Mike growled back, clenching his fists. Every instinct told him that he was perfectly in the right to plant his fists deep into the two perverts' faces. In fact, he almost did and would have save for a small detail he noticed. Looking to the rest of the room, his growl turned into a grin and he looked back at the pair, "Not a bad plan, but you forgot one thing."

"Huh?"

Mike pointed past the pair to the other girls in the room, "If you want to threaten a guy with gay rumors, don't announce your plan where natural gossipmongers can hear you."

The two turned to see the other girls in the room all glaring at them. One or two were also in the kendo club and were already polishing their shinai in preparation for some Divine Retribution. Several more were already whipping out their cell phones and typing up messages of some kind.

"Can't believe those two!"

"Desperate virgins for sure!"

"Summers-san is such a nice guy! I can't believe those two would pull such a dirty scheme!"

"He may hang out with the Great Ladies, but as far as I saw, he's earned it."

"Another Pervert Patrol Report."

"Don't worry Summers-san! If they try anything, we'll make a counter rumor to stop it!"

"And there you go," Mike grinned. "I may not be bishounen like Kiba, but I do respect the girls around me. I see more than just butts and boobs. I see the people that they are. Maybe that's why I'm lucky enough to have friends like Rias, Sona, and Akeno instead of just drooling like a moron whenever I see them."

Perhaps a bit dramatic, but it did cause several of the girls to smile at him, pleased with the compliment. That in turned caused Matsuda and Motohama to break out in tears. Seeing as the girls of the classroom were ready to bring down some justice, they took off running, "We won't forget this Damn Handsome!"

"Yeah, I'm sure you won't," Mike sighed. Shaking his head, he looked to his classmates, "Thanks for the support."

"Not at all!"

"Kya! The Hidden Prince shows his true colors!"

"If only Kiba-kun was here! It would be paradise!"

Mike blinked, "Wait, what? Hidden Prince?"

(LINE BREAK)

 **Student Council Room**

"I'm unnecessarily intruding," Mike announced as he walked into the Student Council Room. To his mild surprise, the only one there was Sona who was working on some paperwork while the rest of the desks were empty, "Alone today?"

"The others have various duties to see to before they tend to the paperwork," Sona reported before she looked up at Mike, "And Campione or not, you will remember your manners when entering the workspace of another."

"Yes ma'am," Mike nodded. "Actually, I was hoping to talk a little if you're interested."

Sona lifted an eyebrow, "Something serious?"

"Meh," Mike shrugged. "Might be. I was just hoping to talk to you about it."

Sona nodded, placing her pen on the table, "Then please explain."

Mike nodded, "Well, I suppose it's clear by now that Yura's been pursuing me for romantic purposes. First off I'm wondering if that's okay since I know you micromanage your Peerage a bit."

Sona nodded, "I see. Well, if you've come seeking my permission then you do not need it. So long as it does not affect the functionality of my Peerage, they are allowed to pursue romance and other social goals all they like. Personally, I encouraged Yura's pursuit of you"

"You did?" Mike blinked. Personally, Sona didn't strike him as the type who would encourage others to go after romantic goals of any sort.

"Of course," Sona nodded, a sharp smirk appearing on her lips. "After all, if a member of my Peerage is romantically bonded to a Campione, then I will have officially bested Rias and her official alliance with you."

Mike blinked again, "How…cunning."

Sona's smile turned a tad bit warmer, "Rais and I are childhood friends so naturally we grew up competing over everything. That mainly involved seeing who could cast better spells, who had the more amazing pets, who could gain the better Peerage and other things."

Mike frowned slightly, but then he nodded, "Oh, so this is just another bit of that? Who can tie their Clan closer to me?"

"Precisely," Sona nodded. "But please don't think of it as merely ego driving this. I am not adverse to friendship with you in the least. There is also practicality to consider as well since Campione are known for throwing a wrench into the works wherever they go. All three of the Factions clamor to recruit Campione as much as they do those with Sacred Gears."

"Oh," Mike nodded, walking to an open chair so he could sit down. "Ms. Grayfia Lucifurge mentioned that when she was visiting with Riser before Rias left. Did Campione play that big a role in the Great War?"

Sona nodded, "Although they were rare, they indeed make their mark in the war. Most of the time they did not take well to their homelands being used as a battleground for the Three Great Powers. So, they showed their… _displeasure_ , over it and in hindsight, rightly so."

"What happened?" asked Mike.

"One such battle was taking place on Earth, an attempt to get a hold and drive the Angels and Fallen back," Sona explained. "In the process, many human settlements were destroyed in the crossfire. An accident, but between the Devils of the time who were admittedly less than noble, the Fallen who couldn't care less about humans, and the Angels who believed sacrificing a few for the sake of many was acceptable, it likely was worse than it should have been."

Mike frowned, "And the Campione took offense?"

"Yes," Sona nodded. "She was strangely enough a healer for many of those villages. Specifically for toxins and poisons. When the battle neared a village she was in, she took it upon herself to stop all three Factions. At first, she was not taken seriously, but when she summoned a monstrous scorpion which cut through our forces like a scythe to wheat, many changed their minds."

"Holy!" Mike blinked, "So…what Heretic God did she kill?"

"Later research theorized it was Serket she killed, the Egyptian Goddess of Scorpions and Protector against Venom," Sona replied. "Some of the warriors thought by killing her, the scorpion would go away, but she revealed a second Authority which turned her into a toxic being in which only a single touch was deadly. Even her hair and saliva were deadly. Anyone who went near her died, Infernal and Divine both. In the end, she wiped out the contingents of all three Factions with only a survivor from each in which she told to relay her message: Never do battle in the lands of her home again."

"Wow. Did they listen?" asked Mike.

"Only after another battle group was lost trying to capture or kill her for the sakes of each Faction," Sona nodded.

Mike shifted at the tale of such mass slaughter. Intellectually he knew any Campione was capable of it and had done so in earlier days of human history. Many of the human kingdoms and empires wished to harness a Campione's power or destroy it to keep their enemies from getting it. All of them were wiped out for their audacity, leaving those Campiones the sole survivors. Still, to hear the war story from one of the groups it actually happened to…it was unnerving, "So did some Campione end up joining the Factions?"

"Yes. At least one for each that I know of without delving into further research," Sona nodded. "The one who joined the Angels had killed Durga, the Hindu Goddess of Victory over Evil. The Authority he gained was access to all of the treasures she wielded. He became a true terror and secret weapon for the Angels. Thanks to him, the tide turned towards the Angels and many feared Earth would be lost to us thanks to his efforts."

"I take it he didn't?" asked Mike. "What happened to him?"

"He fell victim to the limits of his own Authority," Sona explained. "You see, since his power had come from a Heretic Goddess whose domain was strictly governing victory over evil, his powers could only be used on those who were evil, otherwise they would not activate."

"But isn't what is considered evil to be subjective?" asked Mike. "I mean, aside from some crimes, evil can be another's good. Look at Attila the Hun. To the world as it is now, he was considered evil, but to his own people and even to Mongolians now, he's considered a hero."

"Indeed," Sona agreed. "But the Authority seemed to have its own sense of what is truly evil, the darkness such acts place on one. This Angel's Campione attacked a group of Fallen who had abandoned the war, but were mistaken as an outpost. He attempted to crush them with his Authority, but these Fallen had committed nothing one would call evil, not even the sin which made them Fallen in the first place. They hadn't fought in the war, hadn't killed anyone, hadn't even tried stealing. They wanted to live away from the war and just be free of it."

"And when this guy attacked, his Authority wouldn't activate," Mike nodded, seeing the end result Sona was implying. "And defending themselves, the Fallen killed him."

"Exactly," Sona confirmed. "A prime example of what happens when one becomes overconfident."

"That it is," the Eighth Campione agreed, adjusting his seat. "So one joined the Fallen too?"

"Yes. A rather hedonistic one according to history," Sona nodded. "He killed Lillith, the first wife of Adam and considered to be the origin of succubae. It granted him an Authority of seduction, able to coerce women and some men into doing whatever he wanted. A power he used to seduce Angels and Devils into fighting for the Fallen, boosting their numbers and creating a powerful force."

"Holy shit," Mike grimaced. "So how'd the Factions bring him down?"

"I did say he was hedonistic," Sona replied. "Sleeper agents snuck into his little harem and when he had his guard down, he was assassinated. He never thought a woman near him would ever be able to harm him so he never used his Authority inside his little hovel. Just locating him was the difficult part."

"Wow," Mike grimaced. How…anti-climactic. "And the one which joined the Devils?"

"He didn't have faith in anything, so we paid for his services and quite handsomely," Sona nodded. "His was a dual-natured Authority he claimed from Anubis, the Egyptian God of the Dead. If he was in the presence of those who were good, like the Angels, he could teleport them away from the battle, usually leaving sensitive locations unguarded and ripe for the plucking. If they were evil, such as some of the Fallen, he could summon the beast Ammit to devour them. Although he couldn't fight near Devils with the nature of that Authority."

"Wow. So what happened to him?" asked Mike.

"His services were no longer required since he lived long enough to see the end of the war and the resulting truce," Sona explained. "So he went on his way, no doubt spending the fortune he was paid to fight for. Where he ended up or how he died, we do not know."

"Oh," Mike nodded. "Well, at least it makes a little more sense why the Three Factions would be interested in Campione. I mean, for humans it makes sense, but for a while I thought the Three Factions would just consider us anomalies or something."

"Not when you can take on Maou or Archangels," Sona shook her head. "The Three Factions will be most interested. No doubt there are agents watching your siblings and reporting their activities. Unfortunately, none of them are interested in allying themselves with any of the Factions."

"I can see why they'd think that," Mike agreed. "Voban might attack the three just to see if he could get any Authorities out of them. Aisha's pretty much a ghost and Luo Hao has no interest in supernatural affairs, just her own. Alec wouldn't care, and John Pluto Smith would be more concerned with regular people. Doni would just want a challenge and Godou only wants to be normal."

"Indeed," Sona nodded, "But then there is you. A Campione who not only interacts with members of the factions, but has shown to be favorable towards us Devils. You can expect once word spreads in the Underworld, many Devil Clans will be looking to try and forge an alliance with you much like Rias has."

"Makes sense. A good thing showed up so best get a share of it," Mike leaned back in his seat. "Any tips for someone dealing with that?"

"Don't be afraid to throw your power around," Sona advised. "We Devils respect power and shows of force are a good way to convince us of something. It will help keep some of the more stubborn Clans off of your back."

"Duly noted. Man, what happened to the days where I was just expected to kill Heretic Gods?" Mie groaned.

"Sadly, everything is mired in politics these days."

(LINE BREAK)

 **Mike's Apartment**

Mike returned to his residence, slipping inside and heading to kick his shoes off, "I'm home."

"Welcome back," Kalawarner's voice echoed from a hallway before she stepped out to greet him. Unfortunately, she was barely garbed in a towel and the sheen on her skin showed that she had been in the shower recently. She seemed quite uncaring of her state of dress as she dried her hair, heading for the living room television where some soap opera was showing.

"Waugh!?" Mike stared, understandably so considering the Fallen's body, but then whipped around so not to oogle her. "Kalawarner! Could you at least wear a bathrobe or something?!"

"Oh? Why?" the Fallen grinned, taking a seat on the couch and pulling up a box of bonbons laid out on the table. "It's not like you haven't seen me without clothes before. And I'm not exactly shy about my body in the first place."

"You were half-crispy last I saw you naked so I wasn't exactly paying attention!" Mike hissed, turning slightly so he could get to the kitchen without bumping into something. "And you're proud of your body and all that but you don't have to flaunt it!"

"Hm? But I fell because of lust so I guess I just can't help myself," Kalawarner laughed. "Besides, you're not unwelcome to me you know. I do owe you a fair bit so a little show is hardly bad. Hell, if you really want I can tag in with Villetta and show you how we Fallen like to tangle in the bedsheets."

"Guh!" Mike groaned. Since taking the two Fallen in, once they were confident that Mike wasn't going to sell them out to the Devils and was honest in wanting to protect them from Kokabiel, they became a whole lot more casual around his place. Mittelt would take to teasing him about the number of women surrounding him and how he was building a harem without even trying. Kalawarner of the other hand proved the sin she fell for was lust as she would take to wandering around in a bathrobe, a towel, or less at any given time. In hindsight, it should have been obvious considering the short and exposing outfit she usually wore.

" _Anyway_ ," Mike sighed. He pulled out a glass to get some water. "Where's everyone else?"

"Cornelia and Villetta are meeting with the HCC, trying to drum up information on movements from other Fallen, trying to see if Kokabiel is trying to make a move in Japan. Considering you run with two Devil heiresses, it's a strong possibility he may come here. As for Mittelt…," the Fallen trailed off with a grin.

"Hey! Is Kenji busted for two-timing Aoi and Yuki or what?!" The voice of the teenage-appearing Fallen. Mike turned and his eyes bulged again as Mittelt walked into the living room with a silk bathrobe on, left wide open, revealing white lace underwear and matching silk stockings and garter. Her hair was down and she glanced over at Mike before grinning at him, "Heh! Too much sexy for you or what?"

Mike blushed and grimaced before slapping a hand over his eyes, "Okay, now you're just laying it on too thick! No one comes out in the middle of the day practically naked just to watch some soap operas! You're just teasing me again!"

"When you have nowhere to go during the day, why bother with clothes?" Mittelt laughed as she sat down next to Kalawarner. "You're lucky we're dressed at all since this is a mostly female space anyway. You're the only guy who lives here."

"You'd think he'd be more appreciative, having beauties like us strutting naked all the time," Kalawarner laughed, popping a bonbon into her mouth.

"Yeah," Mittelt nodded, snagging a candy of her own. "I guess he just doesn't get how good he's got it." She looked over to Mike who now had his back turned to the pair, "Oh grow up would you? We have boobs. Get over it. We don't give a damn if you see them or not. The gentleman act is nice and all, but we don't care. You get blue balls, ravish us or something! We won't say no."

"Yeah I'll bet," Mike grumbled. Finishing his water, he set the cup next to the sink. "Anyway, let me know if Villetta or Cornelia report in. I'm getting antsy for some reason and I don't like it."

The Fallen waved him off and Mike headed to his room to play some video games to get his mind off of his agitation and all the tension he was dealing with in his own home. Heading into his room, he settled down on the couch and heaved a sigh. Granted all the sexual tension with the Fallen supposedly offering themselves to him was adding enough pressure, but he wasn't kidding when he said he was feeling antsy.

' _It's been a week since I took down Momotaro, but ever since then absolutely nothing has been happening,_ ' Mike thought to himself as he booted up his laptop. ' _I'm enjoying the downtime, but now that I'm back to normal, I'm starting to feel antsy, like there's something that's going on that I should be part of but I'm not._ '

"Wan! Wan wan!"

"Huh?" Mike looked to his side and grinned at a small basket in his room layered with old blankets revealed his three new companions from his newest Authority. "Inumaru, Sarumaru, Torimaru, hey guys. Miss me?"

The three mascot-sized animals let out calls and hopped to Mike's side where he lifted them up to set down on his desk. As far as pets went, they were fun to have around. They acted pretty darn cute most of the time. As long as they were fed, they would stay manifested, although the higher quality the food they got the bigger they would get. After the incident with Cornelia's French Cuisine which she ordered, it was decided to keep the trio fed on regular pet food until they were needed. Letting the three tussle on his desk, Mike returned to his thoughts.

' _I'm still worried about what Kokabiel might be up to. Getting Boosted Gear and Issei out of the way might help his plans, but no way would it slow him down if Issei managed to get by Raynare and survive. He's got to have something bigger planned once he feels he has enough power to do it. I just wish I knew more, but still we have nothing._ ' Mike sighed, letting his browser open to The Realm of Spellcraft. ' _Then there's that warning Tamamo-no-Mae handed us. She and Momotaro couldn't have been the only ones who noticed Siegfried being summoned. So if they did notice, why aren't they appearing or are they just keeping an eye on things until they see an opening? What would get a Heretic God to pause to think when they see a Campione?_ '

The answer to that was easy enough. A Heretic God who would pause when they notice a Campione were likely one of the most dangerous ones. They were the Heretic Gods who could think, plan, and execute strategies rather than be pissed off that a Campione is in front of them. They were the kinds who probably managed to kill other Campione in the past rather than the other way around. Those would be the enemies Mike would really have to use all of the Wisdom of Solomon he had in order to bring down, not only to protect others but also to save his own skin.

' _There's a cheery thought,_ ' Mike groaned internally as his game began. ' _Well, nothing I can do about it now. Might as well try to relax._ '

He soon settled in on navigating dungeons and fighting off evil monsters. Nothing served as a distraction better than a good video game. Mike was able to turn his thoughts away from evil Fallen, Heretic Gods, and amorous Devils. He'd have to deal with it sooner or later, but he was in his zone and it could all be dealt with later. He was a lv45 Paladin with a holy sword ready to smite all slimes which came his way! He was on the prowl for the treasure of the lich king! No one had better get in his way or else they'd be cannon fodder!

He played for a few more hours before the sound of his door caught his attention. Looking up, he saw that Villetta was standing there in her usual business attire, "Lord Michael."

"Hey Villetta," Mike nodded, pausing his game. He turned to put his full attention on her, "How'd the information hunt go?"

"Not too well, I'm afraid," Villetta shook her head as she entered his room, sitting on the bed. "There has been almost no Fallen Angel activity since that incident with Raynare at the church. Likely if there are any working in Japan, they're keeping their heads down to avoid making the political tension worse, considering what the Fallen tried to do in the territory of two Devil heiresses."

"Makes sense," Mike nodded. "Any news from abroad?"

"Not much. The Whitengamont hasn't heard much themselves," Villetta replied negatively. "The only thing of note is that the Church is closing ranks on special sights, vaults of special relics and the homes of important figures. Likely they are reacting to the warning I had sent home about Kokabiel's possible plots."

"Smart move," Mike agreed. "So we're in the calm before the storm then."

"Indeed," Villetta nodded. "That aside though, I've come to understand that one Yura Tsubasa has been pursuing you," the knight began to smile. "She had even gone so far as to meet with me to make sure she had a clear path to you like she had been hearing."

Mike sighed, so much for seriousness, "Yeah, she mentioned that. Still, you know my opinion about this-!"

"And my opinion is that there is nothing wrong with you taking more mistresses, especially ones who can bring contacts and help create a network useful for your future endeavors," Villetta retorted. "Besides, wouldn't you like to have a lover you can actually take out like Ms. Tsubasa instead of merely keeping her cooped up for sex like you do me?" she finished with a teasing grin.

"Okay, you two planned this, I'm sure," Mike sighed, recalling Yura using the same argument. "And my previous argument in which I'm not the type of guy to go after multiple girls?"

"But you're tempted to, more so since we had Cornelia, Kalawarner, and Mittelt show up," Villetta grinned, but made her next argument. "Anyway, it would be a rather nice gesture to treat her to a date as thanks for helping in that situation with Momotaro. If something develops then there's nothing wrong with that. If it doesn't, then Ms. Tsubasa will feel like she had her shot and will simply move on."

Mike groaned and rubbed his head. His first instinct was to say no, but Villetta was making a good point. If he kept stonewalling Yura, she'd likely just keep trying. That or she'd get upset and it might sour the friendship he had with the Student Council and he didn't want that. They seemed like a particularly close-knit group of friends, their bond of servitude to Sona aside. If he gave her at least a date then it might be fun anyway, but he was sure nothing serious would come from it so Yura would feel like she got a fair chance, but nothing came of it. He'd be in the clear and no one would feel let down.

"Good point," Mike nodded, just knowing Villetta had planned it that way. The woman was canny, no doubt about it. "Maybe just giving her that date will get her to cool down."

"Excellent," Villetta grinned. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a slip of paper, "I have her phone number right here. You can make arrangements right now."

Mike sweatdropped, something he picked up since coming to Japan. Yep, she totally played him.

(LINE BREAK)

The next day found Mike waiting at a bridge overlooking a river which ran through the Kuoh area. He was dressed in simple black pants and a white shirt with a black coat. It was dressy enough for his date, but not enough to feel like it was something very formal. He'd given Yura a call and did ask her on a date, although he did bring up how he did owe her for her help against Momotaro's attack. The sporty Devil was happy to agree and set up the meeting point where they could meet and go from there. Despite himself, Mike was feeling a little nervous. His social life was never that good back in Canada so he'd never been on a date before. It was a little amusing when he thought of it. He could take on Heretic Gods without a thought, going on instincts, but when it came to dating a pretty girl, he felt his knees tremble.

"Sweetie!" Mike heard a familiar call.

Turning, he saw Yura approaching and he couldn't help but admire her looks. She wore jeans, the kind which were tight enough to perfectly outline her athletic legs and nice hips. No doubt the view from behind would show a simply splendid rear end. She also wore a purple blouse which wasn't buttoned up all the way, showing off a bit of skin although not a deep plunging neckline either. She wore a black choker around her neck and a silver charm bracelet on her left wrist. She hadn't done anything special with her hair, but had shadowed her eyes and painted her lips pink. In all, she was still a tomboy, but a damn sexy one.

"Hi Yura," Mike waved with a smile. "You look great."

"Thanks," the tomboy smiled as she approached. "Most girls would go for something frilly, but that's not me. I save that for special occasions even if the girls gave me a hard time about it."

"Does the whole Student Council know about our date?" Mike grinned weakly.

"Oh sure, everyone had some kind of advice for me," Yura grinned back. "That or wishing me good luck. Only Kaichou and Fukukaichou weren't around to say anything."

"Well, I'm sure you'll give them all a blow by blow," Mike shrugged. "So what do you want to do tonight? You know Kuoh better than I do."

Yura laughed and took his arm, once again pressing it to her chest, "I'm glad you asked. There's a theatre not far from here and some new movies came out that I'm dying to see!"

Yura quickly pulled Mike along, possibly using a bit of her Rook strength considering how tight she had him, but his Campione toughness allowed him to be not bothered by it. They reached the theatre and to his secret relief, Tsubasa picked a horror movie to watch instead of something romantic. Japanese horror movies were pretty good in his mind, but sometimes he was sure it twisted off into something H.P. Lovecraft would write considering how reality would bend for whatever the monster was. Hell, the ghost in the film had some kind of twisted horror story which allowed it all sorts of strange abilities, but even when they supposedly ended its curse, the damn thing still somehow survived. At least back home when the ghosts were beaten, they stayed beaten. He hated cliffhanger endings.

During the film, Yura kept a tight grip on him, but their hands ended up intertwined and neither were in much of a hurry to change that.

They then moved on to an arcade where Yura challenged him to a shootout at one of the arcade shooters. So after five matches, Yura came out the winner since Mike was more used to RPG games more than anything else. In retaliation, he took her own in the fighting games, quickly managing to bring her down in a one on one fight. Still, Yura did complain that he was using cheap moves. Mike just claimed that they were legitimate moves and she was just a noob. They finally settled their competition on a racing game, winner take all. It was a race to end all races, but Yura won out in the end due to a perfectly timed drift Mike didn't see coming, resulting in his crash and burn.

"Yes! Suck it!" Yura laughed, hoping up from her seat.

"Yeah, yeah," Mike sighed. "You're the queen of the arcade."

"And don't you forget it!" Yura laughed. She turned to face Mike, her nose in the air in a mockery impression of royalty. "Now then, as my reward you will treat her royal majesty to dinner!"

"Yes your majesty," Mike rolled his eyes. Yura quickly captured his hand and they left the arcade, finding a nice restaurant to sit down for dinner. It wasn't an uptight formal place, but it was comfortable. The hostess smiled at the two of the before she put them down in a secluded booth, likely a spot where they could have some intimacy for their date. After the waitress stopped by to get their orders, the two gazed at one another for a few moments, but it was hardly awkward. Neither really had much to hide. After all, they already knew each other's' deepest secrets of being a Campione or a Devil.

"So," Yura began. "I'm a little curious about something."

"Yes?" Mike raised an eyebrow.

"How'd you become a Campione in the first place?" asked the Rook. "I mean, I know it was King Solomon you killed, but how'd it go down exactly?"

"Oh. Well, it wasn't glorious or inspiring if that's what you're looking for," Mike shrugged before he told the story. It certainly was dumb luck that he was at that particular airport when King Solomon decided to go cruising for chicks. It was even further good luck that he didn't die immediately when he was speared so many times. Just surviving long enough to do the same to Solomon had to be the best luck he ever had.

"Wow, so you did it to protect those women?" Yura smiled, chin in her hands as Mike told his story. "That's so sweet of you."

"Someone had to do something," Mike shrugged. "Why not me? Horrible injuries aside, I think it turned out pretty good for me."

"Sure did, Mr. Supreme King," Yura nodded. "Still, why did you decide to go the long way around to Japan anyway? Couldn't you have just take a flight directly here from Canada?"

"Yeah, but as far as I knew, it would be the only chance to see the world I would get," Mike replied. "It wrapped up my next ten birthday and Christmas presents along with just about all the cash I could scrounge, but my parents agreed to let me go around the long way so I could see London and Hong Kong. Now the Heretic God thing kind of turned everything pear-shaped, but I don't think I'd have it any other way, ridiculous amount of pain or otherwise."

"I'll agree to that," Yura nodded. "I like being a Devil now and I've got such a great bunch of friends. There were some bumps in the road but I don't think there's anything I'd trade it for."

"Amen," Mike nodded, causing them both to snicker. "Still, how'd you become a Devil anyway? Was it like Issei?"

"No, nothing like that," Yura shook her head. "You see, my parents are corporate types, always flying in and out to close the next deal and that sort of thing. I was raised more by nannies than my own parents. Kind of didn't help that Dad wanted a son and Mom couldn't or maybe wouldn't, have more kids after me. So maybe they resent me, even if only a little."

"What?" Mike frowned. "Now that can't be true."

"Not consciously, but when they look at me I can feel it," Yura looked to the side "Mom didn't like how I held her back, forcing her to be more my mother than the businesswoman she'd dedicated herself to being. I think she missed out on advancement while she was pregnant with me. Then Dad didn't like how I was born a girl and not the son who could follow in his footsteps and all that." Yura shook her head. "They may not know that they do it, but I can feel it every time they look at me."

Mike reached and clasped Yura's hand, rubbing his thumb across her knuckles which made her smile, "So how'd you meet Sona and the others?"

"Well, I got into Kuoh thanks to my sports and my parents' connections," Yura explained. "But I also had a bit of a reputation. You see, I began sports hoping it would show I was just as good as a boy. So I kept doing more stuff boys would do. Eventually that lead to fighting and I got pretty good at that too. I was a borderline Yankee to tell the truth. So as the aspiring Student Council President, Sona insisted on reforming me of my less than stellar traits. I guess I responded well and I just kept up with Sona, even volunteered to help with her campaign."

"Did she reveal that she was a Devil?" asked Mike.

"Yeah, the eve of the election," Yura nodded. "Showed me her wings and everything. She offered to let me join her Peerage and all that. I first thought she wanted to enslave me, but then she and Tsubaki explained when it was all about. I wouldn't be a slave, just an indentured servant until I'd gotten strong enough to strike out on my own and all that. I'd be part of a group and have a bunch of friends to hang out with along with my Student Council duties," Yura grinned. "After so long of being alone, how could I say no?"

"And you joined up and got a bunch of close friends," Mike grinned.

"Mm hm," Yura nodded.

The waiter soon arrived with their food and they dug in, but also chatted some more, talking a little about themselves and their likes. Yura didn't consider herself to be idol material despite the following she had in the school. In fact, she was a little surprised to hear she was ranked right up there with the Great Ladies Rias, Akeno, and Sona. Granted she wasn't at the top, but she was in the top ten. Mike had learned as much when several of his classmates wanted to know what was going on between him and Yura, listing off facts about her. He was pretty sure that some of those girls had more than just fangirl admiration towards her, but that was just a suspicion. Yura was flattered that she was considered to be so adored, but compared to the likes of the Great Ladies, she felt like she didn't stand out that much at all.

Mike on the other hand learned he was being called The Secret Prince. The name came up after some of the other students saw how he'd speak so formally and politely to Rias, Sona, and others in their groups, except for Issei and Saji who weren't so formal with him. Seeing him act like nobility, even if he didn't make himself out to look like one, got the girls of the school to begin calling him The Secret Prince. Already many of his secret fans were plotting to try and get him and Kiba to spend time together in the same classroom. Plenty had confessed in Yura's presence that they were hoping to finally see the Kiba X Mike pairing that would paint their dreams for years to come. It certainly went to explain why girls would get more worked up whenever he'd say hello to Kiba in the halls. Personally, Mike felt it to be disturbing while Yura thought it was funny.

Dinner ended and Mike paid the bill. With darkness approaching, the pair headed towards the Kuoh Academy Girls' Dorms where Yura lived. It was a pretty nice place, often used by the foreign students whose homes were outside the country. Mike would have lived in the Boys Dorms if he hadn't become a Campione and scored the backing of the Whitengamont who swiftly purchased his kickass apartment for his stay in Japan. The two, still hand in hand, reached the front doors. No boys were allowed inside, so they'd have to say their goodbyes at the door.

"So this is it," Mike sighed, looking at Yura as they stood at the door.

"Yep," Yura agreed, looking wistful. "I had a nice time. I'd really like to do it again."

"Well, I guess we could get together again," Mike shrugged.

"No," Yura shook her head while squeezing his hands. "Not just get together. I want it to be a date, as boyfriend and girlfriend."

"Yura, I'm-!" Mike began.

"In an _open_ relationship," Yura interrupted, placing a finger on his lips. "You want me, I can tell. Devils are good at this sort of thing. Desire is our bread and butter. You like the idea of being in a relationship with me, but you won't do it because you feel it's wrong to be with another girl when you already have one since human society says it's wrong to act that way."

"Well," Mike blushed as Yura drew her finger away. He was having fun with her and had thought about relationships a little…

"What you keep forgetting is that neither of us have to follow those rules anymore," Yura continued "I'm a Devil and we're a lot more loose about that sort of thing. Lots of Devils have multiple lovers and they're all fine with it. Some have whole Harems made from their Peerages or just multiple spouses to help preserve their bloodlines. They wanted to do it, so they did it. Lots of Devils even applaud their thinking. There's no shame to it since desire itself isn't shameful, it's how you choose to pursue it that marks you as shameful or otherwise."

Mike looked down. It made sense in a way…

"You are a Campione," Yura continued. "You're so far above humanity it isn't funny. The laws of society just _don't_ apply to you anymore. You can literally do anything you want and it would only be another Campione who could stop you. If you want to try or do something, then just do it. No one is going to stop you or get angry at you."

"But it isn't fair to you if I go around with other girls," Mike sighed.

"Says who?" Yura smiled. "Nu-san says it's perfectly fine with her and actually encourages you, doesn't she? I keep telling you that I'm fine with it. I can't be with you all the time anyway so why not have Nu-san pick up some of the slack? We both give your our blessings to see us both, so you don't have anything to feel guilty about."

"Nn," Mike sighed. So many good points, but something kept telling him it wasn't right…but if everyone was agreeing to it, what was wrong? He wasn't going to be a deviant, just have two relationships which had full disclosure of each other.

"Come on," Yura smiled, "I can be one _hell_ of a girlfriend if you give me a chance."

"Cute," Mike chuckled, getting the pun. "You know, if I agree to this then the two Fallen living with me might try to get in on it."

"So long as you have feelings for them and Villetta and I approve, its fine," Yura shrugged. "But no one night stands! Clear?"

"Crystal," Mike nodded and sighed. He thought about it for a moment and considered his circumstances. He did like Yura and a real relationship was tempting… ironic considering she was a Devil. Finally, he heaved another large sigh and looked into Yura's eyes, "You know what, let's see where this goes. I'm gonna live for centuries anyway so I may as well live it up when I can. Life will get too boring and drive me crazy anyway." He smiled at Yura, "Remember though, I'm willing to give this a _try_ , it doesn't guarantee anything. If I'm not comfortable with how it's going, there are going to be changes. Is that okay?"

"Yes!" Yura cheered, wrapped her arms around Mike's neck before hopping in for a kiss. It was definitely passionate and hot, something Mike found he could get used to. After a few moments, she drew back with a grin, "I'll meet you tomorrow, okay _boyfriend_?"

"Sounds good to me," Mike nodded, still holding her around the waist, "Let's make some waves at school."

"Yeah," Yura grinned, stealing a peck before she drew back. "Bye."

"Bye," Mike waved before Yura stepped into the building, leaving him along. Sighing, he turned and headed down the street, "Man, I don't know what I'm getting into, but I think I'll have fun finding out."

(LINE BREAK)

Yura practically skipped up to her floor with a smile on her lips. She did it! She did it! She got him to be her boyfriend! She couldn't wait until school tomorrow where everyone would see her stake her claim! Well, it wouldn't be an exclusive claim but only select few would know about that and if any girl wanted in, they'd have to go through her and Viletta Nu! Barely concealing a giggle, she went up to her room and unlocked the door and stepped in… "WOAH!"

…only to be grabbed by multiple hands and pulled in.

Yura blinked and looked to see her attackers were none other than her fellow Student Council members sans Saji. Even Sona and Tsubaki, the least excitable out of all of them were there and looking at her with more than a little bit of anticipation. They were all in their pajamas and had brought pillows, making it look like they were going to be there for the night in a sudden slumber party. It made Yura more than a little nervous, realizing she was about to get the third degree for date details. "Uh…hi guys…"

"No small talk Yura-chan," Momo said seriously. "Tell us about the date."

"Yeah!" Ruruko chimed in. "Was it romantic? Fun? A total bomb? Tell us?"

"Was he gentle? Kind? A jerk? Spill it!" Reya nodded.

"It's your duty to tell your Kaichou what she wants to know," Sona added, as serious as ever despite the situation.

Yura blinked, but then got over her shock and began to grin, "Oh, it was great. We had fun and dinner and he was _such_ a gentleman," Yura grinned, her face nearly splitting open before she dropped her bomb, "And I got a new boyfriend!"

"EEEE!" Momo, Reya, Tomoe, and Ruruko cheered.

"Congratulations Yura-chan!" Tomoe squealed.

"Excellent work," Sona nodded. "You do the Sitri proud."

"Yes. I'm almost envious," Tsukabi smiled.

"Oh yeah!" Yura laughed. "You know Fukukaichou, are you sure you're not interested? I can put in a good word for you and you could be number three."

Tsubaki blushed and looked aside, "I think not. I'm fine."

"Your loss," Yura shrugged. "He's a total gentleman. He's gentle, kind, and he listens so well."

"Tell us more!" Momo insisted. "Tell us from the beginning! Don't leave a detail out!"

"Well, if you insist," Yura smiled. "Just let me get changed."

(LINE BREAK)

 **Kuoh Academy**

Mike yawned as he headed for school once again. He'd been up late, but only since Kalawarner and Mittelt were interrogating him for details about his date, although they were wondering if he had gotten any play with Yura. Both thought it was juicy that she was now his girlfriend when he was already with Villetta. Of course, his first knight was all for it and even congratulated him on his new relationship. Although, he did insist on her spending her time in her own room so he could think about what he was doing. Despite willing to try out the lifestyle, Mike still wasn't sure if the whole polyamory thing was his scene.

"Sweetie!"

Mike turned and saw Yura approach him and he smiled, letting her latch onto his arm. Clasping her hand in his, he decided to really show they were together by lifting it up and planting a kiss on the back of her hand. It served to silence the surrounding students, all of them gaping at what they were looking at while Yura smiled with a pink blush on her cheeks. PDA beyond hugs may have been frowned on in Japan, but Mike couldn't see anything wrong with a small kiss on the hand. It would send a message after all.

"Aw man! We lost one of the idols?!"

"Oh gosh! Tsubasa-sempai snagged a Prince!"

"I knew they would be a good pair!"

"Noooo! Tsubasa-sempai!"

"Did you see him kiss her hand? Such a gentleman!"

"Our Secret Prince!"

"I'm totally jealous!"

"Damn Handsome! Go to hell already!"

Message received it seemed

"Want to hang out before class Yura-chan?" asked Mike.

"I'd love to Sweetie," Yura smiled. "And I know just the place."

(LINE BREAK)

Mike came home with a grin, not remembering much of his classes. It seemed having a public girlfriend like Yura was already paying off. The girl was aggressive and liked to lead sometimes. Case in point when she took him to the old school building during lunch so they could make out a little. She sat on his lap while they kissed, making sure they weren't out of contact at all. She may not have been the bustiest of the girls, but her athletic body was just begging to be touched just the same, and he had full permission to do that. When they went back to their classes after lunch with big grins, everyone in their classes looked at them with deep envy.

'I'm home," Mike announced.

"Welcome back sir," Cornelia called, sitting at the couch while reading over some documents. "There is a letter on the counter for you. It comes from the Inferno's house of Gremory."

"Gremory? You mean Rias?" Mike blinked, walking to the counter where a wax-sealed letter was waiting in an ornate envelope. The seal itself looked like a magic seal, the kind he'd seen spring up around Rias when she used enough of her magic for something. Opening it, he pulled it out only to gape, "WHAT THE FUCK?!"

 _Dear Lord Michael Summers,_

 _You are Hereby Cordially Invited to the Engagement Party of_

 _Riser Phenix_

 _And_

 _Rias Gremory_

 **To Be Continued…**


	8. Party Crashers

**I do not own Campione, High School DxD, or the elements of Code Geass that I chose to incorporate into this story. I am only writing this for fun and not for any sort of profit. If you do not like this story then you are free to leave it and find something more to your tastes. For those you that remain, I hope you continue to enjoy and support the story.**

 **God Slayer DxD**

 **By Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Chapter 8: Party Crashers**

Mike stared down at the letter in his hand, trying to will it away but after those few moments he realized he wasn't looking at some kind of illusion. Right there in his hand was an invitation to the engagement party celebrating the future union between Rias Gremory and Riser Phenix. As sure as he was that the event wasn't going to happen, it seemed that despite Rias and her Peerage's best efforts, it was going to happen anyway. Still, he had to read it over several times to be sure.

 _Dear Lord Michael Summers,_

 _You are Hereby Cordially Invited to the Engagement Party of_

 _Riser Phenix_

 _And_

 _Rias Gremory_

 _This shall be a formal affair and formal attire is to be expected. No gifts are necessary, although they would be appreciated. Please come and celebrate the joyous union of two Pillar Clans._

"Yeah…it's not going away," Mike muttered. "It must be real."

"Lord Summers?" Cornelia asked, approaching from the living room. "Is something the matter?"

Mike looked over to her and sighed, lifting up the invitation, "I seem…to be invited to the engagement of two important figures down in the Inferno."

"You are?" Cornelia blinked, taking the invitation to read it. "I see. The Devils' families must be trying to rally support from you. I suppose a wedding is a joyous occasion no matter who is to be wed. Although you seem less than enthusiastic considering this may be a prime political opportunity for you."

Mike sighed, shaking his head, "I do have a problem with it since I met the pair. Rias is my friend so that isn't the issue. The problem is that the groom is a womanizing douchebag who has no qualms about cheating on Rias right in front of her."

"But sir," Cornelia offered. "Devils live a different lifestyle than humans. Polyamory is quite accepted. You yourself are beginning to indulge in this."

Mike twitched, "Okay, I am only _trying_ it out and only with Yura and Villetta! Nothing hedonistic! Just relationships!" He sighed. "Secondly, Rias has absolutely no desire to have that lifestyle and Riser has flaunted and even molested his women in front of her which was obviously a blatant show if disrespect. Rias hates the guy."

"Oh," Cornelia blinked. "I…see. Well, political marriages sometimes turn out that way, but for the good of the Inferno I suppose it's understandable. It can't be that bad." Her family often arranged marriages. Her sister was being considered for a few upstanding men already with more offering for her hand.

"I wouldn't be so against it if Riser Phenix wasn't such a lothario asshole," Mike retorted, digging out his cellphone. Going through the options, he hit one of the call lists, pulling up the numbers of the ORC. Rias and Akeno's numbers were first, but he figured that Rias would be getting ready for the party while Akeno as her Queen would have to help. Likely Kiba and Koneko might be there so there was no guarantee he'd reach them. Who knew how reception was in the Inferno. Asia didn't have a phone yet so he picked the one number who would likely be home, being the low man on the totem pole.

" _Hey, you got Issei,_ " the voice of a depressed pervert met his ears.

"Issei, it's Mike," the Eighth Campione replied.

" _Summers-san? What do you want?_ " Issei asked.

"I just got a funny invitation in the mail. Something about Rias and Riser getting engaged," Mike answered. "I'd like some kind of explanation."

"…" Issei was silent for a moment, giving Mike a bad feeling. Issei was usually such an expressive guy so for him to be silent meant that it had to be bad. Suddenly his voice returned, but with more of an edge to it. " _You'd better come to my place. I can explain better in person._ "

"I don't even know where you live," Mike frowned.

" _Oh, right. Yeah,_ " Issei huffed. " _Okay, here's the directions,_ " Issei quickly explained how to go from Kuoh Academy to his house. Fortunately, the perv didn't live too far away from the school. He soon wrapped up, " _Got it?_ "

"Yeah," Mike answered, scribbling down the hasty directions on a pad of paper near the home phone. "I'll be over in a few minutes. Make sure the story's good!"

Ending the call, Mike stuffed the paper into his pocket before turning to Cornelia, "I'll be back later, hopefully with an explanation. Just keep the home fires burning."

"Of course sir," Cornelia nodded before Mike dashed out the door.

(LINE BREAK)

 **Hyuudou Residence**

"Well, this looks like the place," Mike pondered, looking at the relatively normal-looking house. He had been curious as to what a home of a Devil looked like, but then he remembered that Issei had been born a human so he probably still lived with his parents. Shrugging it off, Mike came to the door and hit the buzzer.

"Yes?" the door was answered by a rather pretty, although average, middle-aged woman, "Can I help you young man?"

"Yes. Is Issei home?" asked Mike.

"Oh yes," the smiled, but then she seemed to grow suspicious. "You're not here to critique porn with him like his other friends, are you?"

"Bwuh?" Mike blinked in shock. Oh yes, it had to be Issei's mother he was talking to. "No! I'm supposed to meet him for something with the Occult Research Club!"

"Oh," Issei's mother blinked, but then smiled. "Oh good! I've really wondered if Issei was even capable of making friends who weren't obsessed with women's breasts, but ever since he met that nice Rias girl and joined her club he's been having all sorts of normal people come over, like that wonderful Asia."

"MOM!" Issei's voice rang before the teen himself came to the door. "Would you quit it? I am able to make normal friends you know!"

"I wouldn't call Matsuda and Motohama 'normal' Issei," the Hyuudou matron retorted blandly.

"Boob addicts would fit better," Mike nodded, remembering his confrontation with the pair.

"You see?" Issei's mother nodded, gesturing to Mike. "Try to make some more well-adjusted friends won't you? There's more to life than breasts."

"BLASPHEMY!" Issei cried, but then remembered himself and growled. "Come on Summers-san, we can hang out in my room."

"It was nice meeting you," Mike smiled to the woman, causing her to beam with hope that Issei was finally on the path of becoming well-adjusted. The two headed upstairs to one of the bedrooms and Issei let Mike inside. The room itself was nothing strange with a bed, a closet, and a desk with a computer and a TV. What was odd was the number of posters with near-naked models and gravure magazines littering the floor.

"This has been a long-time affliction for you, hasn't it?" Mike deadpanned.

"Ah shut up traitor," Issei grunted. "Do you want the story or not?"

"Yeah, lay it on me," Mike nodded, taking the desk chair. "So what happened? I thought you guys were going to kick Riser's ass in a Rating Game so Rias wouldn't have to marry him."

"We lost, that's what," Issei sighed, taking the bed. "Man…we were doing okay, but those chicks he had with them, hot as they were, were just brutal. We managed to take them all down, but we got whittled down to just me and Asia with Rias. She hated seeing us hurt by that yakitori so…she…she…" Issei hunched over, looking more ashamed of himself than he ever did while getting caught for peeping. "She surrendered! For us! She gave up her chance to be free for us!"

"Damn," Mike grimaced. That had to be tough. It was no secret that Issei was fond of Rias, more than just her fantastic body, but also for the kind girl she was. No doubt he trained his ass off so they could win that Rating Game. Then to lose anyway…that had to hurt. "So the engagement's on then?"

"Yeah," Issei sniffled, "it's going to happen tonight, but I've got a plan."

"A plan, huh?" Mike frowned, "And what plan is that?"

Issei looked up, "I'm gonna storm in and kick Riser's ass and make him give up the engagement!"

Mike frowned, "Are you serious? Look, Boosted Gear's strong, but as far as I know Riser must have badass powers of his own if he's one of the Seventy-Two Pillars. They're the first demon nobles underneath the Morning Star. He's had years to train with it and you've only been a Devil for a few weeks!"

"Yeah, I know. No matter how bad you hurt him, the yakitori can just regenerate it like a real phoenix," Issei nodded. "But…I don't care! A dragon beats a phoenix anyway and I've got the most badass one of all time in my arm!"

"But he clobbered you last time!" Mike frowned. "So what is going to change? You can't be thinking of just going there hoping being healed and rested up will make a difference."

"I know that! But I've got an ace!" Issei snapped back.

"An ace?" Mike frowned, obviously disbelieving. "Okay, so what ace would that be?"

" **That would be me.** "

Mike blinked as the feeling of a dragon began to fill the room and a spot on the back of Issei's left hand began to glow in a green circle, reminding Mike of the gem which would rest on the back if Issei's hand when he would activate Boosted Gear.

"And…you would be?" Mike frowned, tensing up.

" **I am called Ddraig. I am the dragon which resides inside Boosted Gear,** " the mighty voice of the dragon spoke.

"And how does a dragon just end up inside a Sacred Gear?" asked Mike, clearly suspicious.

" **Heh, you're clever. You don't accept things at face value,** " Ddraig's voice chuckled. " **Very well. During the Great War, myself and my opposite began fighting one another. To this day I can't remember why. Our clash was so great we obliterated countless members of the Three Factions. Eventually they got so sick of it, they teamed up, God, the Devil King, and the Governor-General of the Fallen. With immense might, and a bit of luck, we were defeated and our souls sealed inside two powerful Sacred Gears, some of the few which were powerful enough to hold us.** "

"I see," Mike nodded. "Then you're the Red Dragon Emperor and the other must be the White Dragon Emperor."

" **I take offense to that!** " the green orb flashed. " **Albion is nothing like me! Tell your scholars in the west that his true title is The Vanishing Dragon! I will not share my title with him!** "

"Very well," Mike nodded. He'd try to remember to mention that to Villetta. "Forgive my ignorance then."

" **Manners from a god slayer. How unusual,** " Ddraig chuckled, " **I must admit, it has been a while since I have seen a Campione. In the past, many would attack me, mistaking me as a Heretic God. I've eaten three of them in my time, the other two I had to burn to ash.** "

"So you killed five?!" Mike blinked. That in itself was shocking since as far as he knew, no Heretic God credited with killing a Campione ever managed to do it again. Not one in the records anyway. Usually they vanished or got taken down by another. Ddraig on the other hand managed to do it five times over! Just how strong was this dragon?!

" **They acquitted themselves well, but I won in the end,** " Ddraig preened.

"Right, anyway," Mike rubbed his temple. "Likely you know how Boosted Gear works back and forth then. You have something which can help Issei win?"

"Yeah! Ddraig said he's got a function called a Balance Breaker which can really let me kick some ass!" Issei grinned.

" **Indeed, but as he is now my host is unable to activate it,** " Ddraig explained. " **However, there is something he can do to activate the Balance Breaker, for a short time at least.** "

"And that would be?" Mike frowned.

" **He gives me his arm,** " Ddraig replied.

"What?!" Mike gaped. He looked to Issei, "You're seriously not considering it!"

"I have to!" the pervert snapped back. "If it's for Buchou then I've gotta do it! You didn't see her at the end! She was crying for us! Crying! And that yakitori was just smirking at us like the smug bastard he is! I'll never forgive someone who makes Buchou cry!"

"But this is your _freaking arm_ Issei!" Mike retorted. "Don't you get it?! You do this and you could lose your arm!"

" **He won't, but it won't be his anymore,** " Ddraig explained. " **His flesh will be transformed to that of a dragon's. Likely he'll never get the Boosted Gear to disappear again. It may actually serve him better this way since he has a plan of attack.** "

"Yeah, holy relics," Issei nodded.

"What?" Mike frowned. "You lost me."

"The yakitori can heal from just about anything, but I figure since he's a Devil he's got the same weaknesses," Issei explained. "That means he can't heal from holy relics or light magic, not as fast as he recovers from anything else anyway. It would damage his spirit just as much as his body, not something he could walk away from. Asia's still got her nun stuff so I don't have to go far for it."

Mike paused, suddenly seeing Issei's reasoning, "And if your arm is dragon flesh instead of a Devil's, you can handle holy relics with it. But what's stopping Ddraig from using the arm however he wants after?"

" **To be honest, I don't need it all that much. I can't do much with an arm anyway. He can just use it,** " Ddraig answered. " **I'd only care that he uses it to win fights for a change and not jack off with it.** "

"Hey! I can use my right hand anyway!" Issei whined.

"Don't need to hear that!" Mike hissed.

" **Still, for all the headway he's made in his plan of attack, my host still has one issue,** " Ddraig continued. " **How he's going to actually get the Devil to fight him for the hand of his Master.** "

Issei slumped over, "Yeah. That's the tough part. I'm not even invited to the party. The Yakitori didn't want me there."

Mike frowned, "So…what kind of problems are getting in the way for this fight?"

" **Devils are a bunch of snobs, especially the Seventy-Two Pillars,** " Ddraig explained. " **My host cannot just charge in and kick ass, much as I prefer it. He'd have the entire household and other members of the Pillars coming down on him long before he'd get close to Phenix.** "

"Well, I'm invited," Mike offered. "Issei can just come with me."

" **But that is only one hurdle,** " Ddraig continued. " **The Pillars are snobs and many don't concern themselves with the lower echelons with few exceptions. Even if my host could get to Phenix and make his challenge, the arrogant brat is under no obligation to answer it. With my host's defeat in the Rating Game, the Phenix doesn't consider him a threat and so will not feel obliged to take the challenge unless another noble backs him up.** "

"And since the Gremory already tried to end it with a Rating Game which Riser won, they can't bring up another without losing face," Mike pondered, getting Issei to nod. "What about the Sitri? Sona can't like this any more than Rias does."

"No, tried that," Issei shook his head. "The Sitri have no connection to this so they don't have a say. Only a Devil Clan with a stake in this can say anything and that's only the Phenix and the Gremory since no other families tried to officially offer for Rias' hand."

"So no one can back your claim?" Mike frowned.

" **You can,** " Ddraig answered.

"Huh?" both boys looked to the glowing orb.

" **Surely you know how Campione affected the Great War,** " Ddraig offered.

"Yes, but he was little more than a mercenary. Respect the title, sure, but would the highest Devils still cow to a Campione's demands when they're not Devils?" asked Mike.

" **Perhaps in the early days, but not after Dante,** " Ddraig answered.

"Dante?" asked Issei.

" **Yes, all of the supernatural know of Dante, the Campione who stormed the gates of Hell, fought his way down to the lowest levels, and then came right back up again,** " Ddraig snickered. " **A slayer of eight Heretic Gods, two of them creator goddesses, and he charged straight through hell just to see what was down there. The man was a scholar and decided to explore Hell since everywhere else was supposedly discovered. The trail of ruin he left was quite extraordinary.** "

"Wow…he did all that?" Issei gasped.

"And so even the realms of the supernatural know not to mess with us," Mike frowned.

" **Indeed. Before, the Campione were just thought to be exceptionally powerful humans, ones to be recruited like those with Sacred Gears,** " Ddraig explained. " **After that though, they saw the true extent of a Campione's power and all but the highest classes of Devils, Angels, and Fallen knew to fear and revere them.** "

"Wow. Mama Pandora really knows how to weave a spell," Mike winced. Shaking his head, he pressed, "Okay, so Issei rides along with me to the party. Once we're there, Issei makes his challenge. When Riser tries to brush him off, I back Issei up so he has to fight. Issei activates this Balance Breaker, kicks some ass, and we all go home with a free Rias. Right?"

"That's the plan," Issei grinned.

"One question," Mike pressed. "How do we get to the party? It's held in the Inferno, isn't it? I mean, I can try to get us there with Grani but I don't know…"

"Oh, I got it covered," Issei leaned to his bedside table and retrieved a slip of paper, one with an arcane circle on it. "The hot maid gave it to me. It'll take us right to the party."

"Hm," Mike narrowed his eyes. It seemed that Rias' brother, or Grayfia herself were relying on a final hidden gambit to keep Rias out of Riser's hands. "Okay, so that makes up the plan then. Let's suit up."

"Suit up?" Issei blinked.

"Sure," Mike nodded, standing up. "This is a formal event. Got to dress the part or we won't get in the front door."

"Oh, right." Issei nodded. "Otherwise they won't let us in."

"Yeah. Just a sec," Mike grabbed his phone and dialed one of his numbers, "Hey, that you Cornelia? Good. I need two suits for a formal engagement party. One for me and one for Issei. Make it fast, we need them for tonight. Okay. Make it happen. Bye." Mike hung up and looked to Issei, "Okay, suits are on the way."

"Okay…wow, Campione really have some clout," Issei grinned. "So, 'Cornelia' huh? Another girl joined up? She hot? Does she have big oppai?"

Mike sighed, but decided to tweak with Issei, "Yeah, she's a beauty and she's a bombshell. You'd be stuck to her like glue."

"Aw damn!" Issei groaned. "Why is it all these hot chicks keep landing in your lap? You can't even appreciate them you traitor!"

"Well, maybe I can since I got Yura Tsubasa to be my girlfriend, although I'm not sure I'm the type of guy who can juggle two women," Mike sighed. "I may cool things off with Villetta so I can focus on Yura exclusively."

Issei's eyebrow twitched, "YOU BASTAAAAAAAAAARD!"

(LINE BREAK)

 **Underworld – Phenix Manor**

The Underworld, although likely not considered pleasant to the regular human, was hardly the rolling inferno the bible made it out to be. That was another district altogether. For the Devils who called it home, they resided in a much more pleasant area. The sky was a dark plurple and blue, twisting in some unnatural fashion and the land for the noble grounds was manicured and dark green. It was hardly welcoming to those of a lesser class, but it was still charming in its own way.

This was the land Mike and Issei took on when they appeared inside a magic circle. They didn't immediately notice it since they appeared inside a cobblestone drive facing what looked like a rather large European-style mansion.

"Woah. High class Devils must have it nice," Issei commented.

"No kidding," Mike whistled. "He's a douche, but his family has taste."

Both young men were adorned in tuxedos, attire fitting for the occasion. Both had come from the same store thanks to Mike's short notice, but fortunately men's attire for such a field was rarely varied. The only real difference between the two were the color of their ties, Issei's being red while Mike's was black. Another difference was that Issei had Boosted Gear activated, but it had once again changed. The gauntlet was now thick and extended up to his elbow, showing a second green gem. It also had several gold spikes travelling up his arm. Issei told the story that Boosted Gear had transformed during the Rating Game, giving him the ability to transfer the boosts he'd collected to another person.

Mike sighed, fingering the invitation in his pocket, "Well, let's do this. It's not every day we get to crash a big formal ceremony. Let's make it showy."

"Oh hell yes!" Issei grinned.

The two boys approached the front of the manor, spotting a pair of guards in European-esque armor guarding the front door. As the boys approached, the guards crossed their spears and turned a stern gaze to the pair of them, "This is the private property of the Phenix Clan and tonight is a formal engagement party between Lord Riser and Lady Rias Gremory."

"Grr," Issei hissed.

"I know that, I have an invitation," Mike produced the letter and handed it to the guard.

The man looked it over, looking for forgery. After a few moments, he nodded, "Very well. May we know your name and title so that you may be properly announced?"

"Certainly," Mike smiled. "I am the Eighth Campione, slayer of Heretic Gods Solomon, Siegfried, and Momotao. My name is Michael Summers."

Both guards promptly paled and stiffened up. Were it not for their discipline, Mike was pretty sure that one or both would have crapped themselves from the sudden influx of fear. It proved Ddraig's opinion that Devils revered and feared Campione just as much as humans did anyway.

"A-ah, w-w-welcome My Lord," the guard mumbled, pushing his comrade aside, letting him run into the house like his ass was on fire. "W-we were not expecting such a…prominent, guest tonight."

"Rias Gremory happens to be a friend of mine and I made an alliance with her Clan," Mike smiled. "I'd hate to miss such an important party to her." Issei chuckled next to Mike, amused at seeing hardened Devils looking like they were about to faint in fear.

"Y-yes," the guard nodded rapidly. "I-I'll escort you a-and your friend to the party."

"Excellent!" Mike smiled brightly. "I can't wait!"

The guard nodded and had Mike and Issei follow him into the manor. He was so intimidated by the Campione he hadn't even asked about Issei or the gauntlet he was sporting. They passed through some hallways, mostly decorated with paintings of previous family members, although the ones with Riser showed that same arrogant smugness Mike and Issei both knew from meeting the man himself. Eventually they were brought to a pair of double doors where music and chatter could be heard. Mike guessed it was a ballroom. That thought was reinforced when both boys spotted a butler next to the door, one looking quite scared if the sweat of his brow was any indication.

"You will be announced here," the guard instructed before he left to return to his post…a little too fast to be considered graceful.

"This is awesome," Issei grinned. "They're all scared shitless of you just like Ddraig said."

"I think I can get used to it when it comes to the Phenix," Mike grinned back. He glanced to the butler who flinched when their eyes met. "Well? We'd like to get to the party."

"O-Of course!" the man squeaked. He turned to the doors and opened them both at the same time, making a dignified wooden groan come from them, obviously meant to grab the attention of others in the room Inside were a number of Devils, although they looked human, turn their eyes to the butler in mild curiosity while the others further away kept with their activities.

"P-Presenting his Royal Majesty, the Eighth Supreme King of Earth, slayer of the Heretic Gods Solomon, Siegfired, and Momotaro, C-Campione Michael Summers!"

Dead silence followed.

Mike and Issei stepped forward past the butler, prompting the Devils closest to them to step back. No one dared speak or even utter a sound. Mike eyed everyone in the room but didn't see anyone he knew right away. Knowing the other guests were intimidated or downright afraid, he decided to try and lighten the mood a little.

"Hello everyone," he smiled. "I'm pleased to meet the illustrious grouping of the Seventy-Two Pillars. Let's all get along shall we?"

It served to lower the tension a little, enough for the musicians to start playing again. Mike gestured for Issei to follow as they headed for the refreshment table, several Devils struggling to get out of their way. It wasn't long before Mike spied some familiar faces, namely those of Akeno in a formal kimono, Kiba in a suit like theirs with his hair slicked back, and Koneko in a simple dress and gloves munching on a plate of appetizers. It wasn't hard to find them since they were the only Devils who weren't trying to back away and keep Mike from meeting their eyes.

"Hello everyone," Mike smiled to them. "Akeno, Koneko, you both look lovely."

"Thanks," Koneko nodded curtly, continuing to munch on their appetizers.

"Why thank you," Akeno giggled. "It's so good to see you as well. I didn't know that you had received an invitation."

"I don't see why not," Mike shrugged. "Rias is my friend too, even if we've only just become such."

"True," Kiba agreed. "And no doubt her family will leap for the chance to meet you personally."

"You sure about that?" asked Issei, looking around. Many Devils were still looking at Mike like he would lash out and kill them, although the friendly conversation with the younger Devils seemed to be relaxing them. "Everyone looks like they want to run away."

"Oh don't mind them," Akeno giggled, but that bit of sadism twinkled brightly in her eyes. "They just remember the Assault of Campione Dante. He's the resident boogieman for Devil children you know."

"Is that so?" Mike rubbed his chin. "I suppose most of these Devils were alive or old enough to remember when Dante made his excursion into the Underworld?"

"Pretty much," Kiba nodded. "Although in human terms it happened centuries ago, Devils live much, much longer than humans so for them it is still fresh in their minds. It's why none of us in the Occult Research Club or the Student Council weren't outwardly terrified when we first met. We were taught by humans about Campione, not Devils. Lady Sona, Buchou, and Riser were born after that event so all they have is stories."

"Ah, the difference between cultures," Mike nodded. Campione to a human were human champions who were to be treated with the utmost respect and perhaps fear depending on the individual. To a Devil, they were a Devil in themselves and one never to be crossed.

"Hm, and here I was expecting you to bring Yura," another familiar voice cut in, announcing Sona as she approached wearing a blue dress and holding a glass of some Devil drink. "She will no doubt be disappointed."

"Oh?" Akeno began to smile. "And why would Tsubasa-san be disappointed?"

"Naturally she would be since she and Lord Summers just cemented their relationship," Sona replied, taking a sip.

Koneko nodded and looked to Mike, "So you caved, huh? Just don't end up like Issei."

"It's just a trial thing," Mike hissed with a reddening face. "But if you all start comparing me to Issei then I'll know it was a bad idea."

"Hey!" Issei grumped. "And here I thought there was hope for you!"

"Ufu fu fu!" Akeno giggled. "Oh don't mind us Lord Summers. We're all at that age when we like to experiment. Don't let others opinions' deter you from what feels right to you. There's nothing wrong with doing what feels good."

"Coming from you, that doesn't encourage me for some reason," Mike deadpanned. "Anyway, I brought Issei for a reason. Once Riser and Rias show up, this show's going to be getting one big pooch screw."

Sona raised an eyebrow, "You have a plan?"

"One that should satisfy Devil decorum without damaging Rias' name," Mike nodded. "Although it may end up ruining Riser's actual face."

"Oh yeah!" Issei growled, smacking his armored fist it his flesh one. "Ow!"

"…my confidence soars," Koneko deadpanned.

The group mingled, going out of the way to not mention what Mike and Issei's plan was so the wrong people didn't overhear. More of the Devils around them began to relax as Mike didn't lash out in a divine-powered frenzy. It really was a marvel how one generation can view something so differently than the next. The younger Devils, namely the ones of Sona's generation, what few were there besides the ones he'd already met, didn't seem to have any issue with Mike's presence beyond a sense of wariness. Still, with the younger Devils accepting his presence, the older ones began to get back to their party.

Soon the climax of the party happened as in a flash of fire, Riser Phenix appeared on the stage near the musicians, a smug grin on his face as always. He wore a white suit, likely one to represent his upcoming wedding. Of course, it appeared that he wasn't wearing a shirt under it, showing of a bit of his chest. Mike really had to wonder if the guy wasn't an exhibitionist along with being a lothario douchebag.

"Esteemed guests among the Seventy-Two Pillars, I welcome you to my home," Riser announced. "Tonight is a glorious occasion which sees the union between two great Clans. The esteemed House of Gremory and my own House of Phenix will see a marriage union formed between them. And this union will of course be tied between myself and the ever lovely Rias Gremory!"

Another flash of light, forming a red magic seal, appeared before Rias appeared, garbed in a white dress, looking quite similar to a wedding dress. Unlike Riser, she looked less than pleased with the situation. Her scowl only grew as many of the Devils in the room clapped and gave praise, obviously seeing the impending union as a good thing. Anyone with common sense could see she didn't want the union, but likely the good it was supposed to do for the Pillars seemed to outweigh that dislike in the Devils' minds.

"With this union, the power of our noble bloodlines will be secured for ages to come," Riser continued. "With this, we shall usher in a strong new era for our Clans. Can there truly be anyone who could disagree with such a prosperous union?"

"I DO!"

Mike grinned as gasps rang out from the crowd and they parted ways once again. It wasn't for him though, but for Issei who stood in the small clearing, pointing his Boosted Gear straight at the stage where Riser stood. "I speak out against this union!"

"You again!" Riser snarled, recognizing Issei. "How dare you interrupt this important gathering?! Guards! Seize him!"

Several guards, ones who Mike had spotted at the edges of the room, began closing in on Issei to toss him out. Quickly, Mike stepped up and spoke loudly so all could hear him, " _Deep within the earth, my reign grows onward. My wealth swells, my treasures increase, all for the prosperity of my kingdom. The vaults are locked to all but me and now I shall open the doors and bask in the radiant glow!_ "

The gold aura which appeared around Mike caused many Devils to step back, but then gold spears erupted through the floors, blocking off the guards from getting closer to Issei. One or two attempted moving the spears, but yelped when black smoke came from where they touched them and revealed black burns on their hands. "D-Divine spears?!"

Mike stepped into the clear next to Issei, hands in his pockets and smooth as any other noble, "Now, now Riser Phenix. I brought Issei all this way since he seems to have something important to say. Let's hear him out, shall we?"

"Y-You!" Riser snarled, recognizing Mike.

"L-Lord Summers?!" Rias gasped.

"It's your show Issei," Mike smiled, slapping the pervert's shoulder.

"Right," Issei nodded before he stepped forward, "Like I said, I speak out against this union! Rias Gremory hates Riser and a marriage between them will be filled with nothing but hate and the yakitori will just cheat on her the first chance he gets!" Issei's snarl grew. "Besides, Rias' virginity is going to be mine and no one else's!"

Murmurs spread from the Devils, although it was hard to tell over what. The slander against Riser, or the sheer perversion in Issei's declaration. Rias blushed, but it actually looked like she was flattered over Issei's passion for her. Mike on the other hand groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Issei was actually being cool for a moment until the last part.

"He never changes," Koneko sighed.

"Ah ha ha ha ha," Kiba chuckled awkwardly.

"So because of that," Issei continued. "I hereby challenge you for Rias Gremory's hand!"

Riser snarled, insulted, "Bah! You're just a lousy low-class Devil! Why should even begin to consider your challenge as anything but an annoyance to be swept aside?"

Mike grinned, "Well if that's the case," He stood next to Issei and slapped his shoulder, "I, the Eighth Supreme King of the Mortal Realm hereby do grant Issei Hyuudou, Pawn of Gremory, my support in his challenge for Rias Gremory's hand."

Gasps rang aloud from the onlookers and Riser flinched quite visibly. Sputtering, he tried to get his swagger back, "Y-You can't do that!"

"On the contrary, he can," a new voice spoke. All eyes turned back to the stage where Riser and Rias were joined by a new pair. One was Grayfia, looking as prim and proper as any noble maid could dream of being. The other was a man in elaborate silver and gold armor with a trailing blue cape. He was good looking, like bishounen good looks, with long windswept red hair. Mike silently thought if he wasn't related to Rias, he'd eat his own shoes.

"Lord Lucifer?" Riser gaped.

"Sirzechs?" asked Rias.

"That challenge was made by the book on Devil decorum," Rias' brother, Sirzechs Lucifer explained. "You asked the audience if anyone was against the union and the young man answered. He explained the reason and challenged you. Granted, since he's a lower class you don't have to accept, but with another noble backing him up you don't have much of a choice."

"B-but Lord Lucifer! He's just a human! His rank means nothing here in the Underworld!" Riser tried to argue.

Sirzechs shook his head, "On the contrary, his rank means everything. Campione have been a huge boon and bane to our world since the Great War and long before. Unlike the True Lords who have laws and restrictions, they don't. They can go where they want, when they want. When they fight for us, it has been a great blessing. When it was against us, we lost countless of our own to our own arrogance. They are called the Devil Kings for a reason." His gaze grew slightly sterner. "Now one is among us again and he's backing the young man's challenge. I don't want to give him a reason to cast decorum aside to help his friend, do you?"

"Grr," Riser snarled and ignored Rias who began to smile with hope as he looked back to Issei, "Fine! I accept the challenge!" he began to grin. "But according to our traditions, since you backed the scum's challenge _human_ , you have to take part in it!"

"What?!" Rias gasped. "Brother, is he-?!"

"He's right. If another noble backs a Devil's challenge to another, he has to take part in the challenge to prove he's truly behind it, not just taking advantage of it," Sirzechs confirmed, now definitely frowning.

"Very well," Mike nodded, "But Issei challenged you directly. It would be rather unsporting if I was to help him and go two on one against you."

"That's fine," Riser smirked. "It will be fought like a Rating Game. You will take the place of the King with the scum as your Pawn. I on the other hand will have my entire Peerage with me to fight you both!"

Mike shrugged, "Well…"

"NOOOO!"

Mike blinked when bursting from the crowd came several members of Riser's Peerage, namely his purple-haired Queen and a few others, all of them looking upset. Well, upset was a bit of a light term for it. Scared, frightened and even terrified would be a better set of words to use in describing the women's features. Although dressed formally in a number of styles, they didn't seem to be worried about their poise as they rushed to the stage.

"Riser-sama, don't do this! Don't make us fight him!" Yubelluna begged.

"He'll kill us!" cried a Chinese girl.

"We're Devils, he's a god slayer! He's got divine power!" added a brown-haired girl with a sword at her side.

"Wow, talk about rebellion," Mike blinked.

"They must have been in the know about magic before Riser turned them into Devils so they know about Campione," Mike reasoned. "And now they have to fight one."

"ENOUGH!" Riser bellowed, causing all of the girls to flinch. "Don't you dare embarrass me in front of my esteemed guests! This is a challenge which must be accepted and fought! You all WILL obey and fight for me to bring that Pawn and that arrogant human down!"

"But-!" Yubelluna tried to argue.

"No arguments!" Riser snarled. "Now go to the courtyard and prepare!"

The women complied and like they were walking to the execution chamber, left the room to meet where the fight would take place. Huffing, Riser turned to Sirzechs who appeared to be just as stern as ever, "My Lord, please allow a playing field to be prepared for this match."

"Of course," Sirzechs nodded. "Grayfia?"

"It will be done," the maid nodded as she followed the Phenix Peerage out of the room.

"Well then," Sirzechs looked to the pair of young men, "Shall we head out then?"

(LINE BREAK)

The preparations were quickly made and with Grayfia's power, a field for a Rating Game was constructed. It was a stone arena surrounded by castle walls and at each of the six corners stood chess pieces, namely a King, queen, bishop, rook, knight, and pawn. The sky was red and purple giving it the perfect atmosphere for a battle.

In the corner with the pawn, Mike and Issei stood ready, both looking serious across the field to where the king piece rose above all of the others. Riser stood on top of the tower, his jacket removed to show his bared chest while down below on the ground was his entire peerage, but some of them looked nervous.

"Issei," Mike spoke. "You're not going to get another shot at this. So you had better make it count. Focus only on Riser. I'll take down his Peerage."

"Right. Thanks," Issei nodded. "I mean that too. Thanks for all this. I know you really didn't have to."

"Eh, Rias is my friend too and so are you," Mike grinned. "Even if you are a perv."

"Like you're one to talk with having two girlfriends," Issei laughed.

Mike huffed, "Something must be wrong with me. I need to revaluate my life once we get through this."

"Hey, don't think like that. It's perfectly normal to want as many oppai as you can get!" Issei insisted.

"…yeah, I need to revaluate myself on that front."

Further talk was cut off when Grayfia's voice rang out from all corners, " _The Rating Game for the hand of Rias Gremory fought between Riser Phenix and the team of Issei Hyuudou and Lord Michael Summers shall now begin!_ "

Mike stepped forward, removing his hands from his pockets, "Hope you don't mind if I start this off!" Bringing up his gold aura, Mike chanted, " _Deep within the earth, my reign grows onward. My wealth swells, my treasures increase, all for the prosperity of my kingdom. The vaults are locked to all but me and now I shall open the doors and bask in the radiant glow!_ "

The ground trembled and broke before pieces of golden armor lifted from the ground and wrapped itself around Mike's body, completely covering him from head to toe, making him appear to be a golden warrior from the past ages. The low light caused the armor to gleam with radiance all of its own and appear like a light in the shadow.

" **The King's Treasury: Armor of the Wiseman!** " Mike announced. "This is one of the powers I usurped from Heretic God King Solomon!"

"Cool name," Issei praised. "You just think it up?"

"Yeah, it just hit me," Mike shrugged. "Now are you going to suit up or what?"

"Right!" Issei nodded before he lifted his arm, causing the gem in his hand to shine, " _BALANCE BREAKER!_ "

Issei's gauntlet flashed, losing the spikes and extra armor, but keeping both gems. Soon his entire body became covered in crimson red armor with more green gems adorning his knees, elbows, and his chest. From his back, an armored tail extended and his boots looked like claws. Finally his helmet held gold accents like dragon whiskers or horns with emerald green eyes. As the change finished, the Boosted Gear called out, " **WELSH DRAGON OVERBOOSTER!** "

"Here it is! Boosted Gear Balance Breaker: Scale Mail!" Issei shouted.

" **You've got to the count of ten! Make it count!** " Ddraig announced from the Gear.

"That's all we'll need!" Issei nodded.

"Then let's go!" Mike called before both armored young men charged for the other side.

(LINE BREAK)

 **Phenix Estate**

Back in the Underworld, the partygoers were gathered in the courtyard. Above them, a large portal hung in the sky overviewing the battle between the two sides. Normally viewing a Rating Game would be a great way to get the mood going for a party. This one match though was not a regular Rating Game. This one had a Campione and the Boosted Gear facing off against one of their own and his entire Peerage. To the older Devils, they were sure they were going to see an execution. To the younger Devils, they were on the edge of their seats, wondering if they would see how much about a Campione's power they heard from stories would be true.

Sirzechs was on a throne, part of an elevated stage with Rias and Grayfia, watching the battle with concern. Rias knew Mike wouldn't try to really hurt anyone, but at the same time this wasn't a fight where he could put on kiddie gloves either. Grayfia would keep an eye on the fight and end things before they got too bad, but things could turn bad quite quickly. He was a source of divine power and it went without saying how badly that could hurt a Devil if they were struck in the wrong place or worse yet pierced in the wrong spot with one of his divine weapons.

With them were another pair of adult Devils, these ones dressed formally for the occasion. The man had short blonde hair the same shade as straw with a goatee. He wore a military-like uniform which showed him to be someone who was not unused to battle and the like. With him was a woman with golden blonde hair done in large curls and wearing a gown. She was trembling and looking up at the image in the sky with no small amount of fear. Of course, being the parents of Riser Phenix and his little sister/Bishop Ravel Phenix, Lord Safir and Lady Layla Phenix, it was understandable that they both were there and afraid for their children.

(LINE BREAK)

 **Rating Game Arena**

" **TEN!** "

"Here we go!" Issei launched himself into the air towards Riser, " _Promotion: Queen!_ "

Mike continued his own charge towards Riser's Peerage. For once, he didn't use a strategy, didn't try to think of one. His only goal was to cause enough havoc among Riser's Peerage that they couldn't go and help their King and delay Issei, costing him precious time with his Scale Mail. So instead, Mike dipped into his instincts, the instinct to fight as all Campione hold, and used that to help guide him so he could really bring some hell down on the Devils.

"Get ready! No one get close!" Yubelluna shouted to her fellow Peerage members.

*RRRRRRMMMMMM!*

"It's Demolition Time!"

From the ranks broke a pair of loli twin girls with green hair sporting simple dresses and wielding blue chainsaws as they ran back at Mike with grins on their faces.

"ILE! NEL! NO! COME BACK!" Yubelluna cried out. Sadly, the pair of excitable girls weren't listening as they attacked.

Mike met the pair and they swung their weapons at him. Mike merely raised his arms, allowing the spinning blades to strike his armored arms. The shriek of metal grinding against metal echoed from the impact, but the sound of metal tearing flesh never followed.

"Huh?" one twin blinked.

"He's not getting cut!?" the other cried.

"Of course not! I've got divine gold instead of regular steel!" Mike retorted before he pushed back, causing the girls to yelp before he grabbed the blades of their chainsaws. The teeth tried to cut his armored hands, but failed to so much as scratch it. He gripped them tight, causing the metal to screech in protest and the chains to stick. With a final crashing noise, black smoke came from the weapons as they died, prompting Ile and Nel to yelp and step back. Mike tossed the weapons aside before he lunged for the two. Rearing back his fists, he slammed them both into each girl's stomach, causing them to gag before they were sent tumbling back across the field to land at their fellows' feet, black smoke coming up from wounds on their stomachs. They whined in pain before they both vanished.

" _Two of Riser Phenix' Pawns have retired,_ " Grayfia's voice rang out.

"He took them out with one hit?!" cried a woman in a women's formal suit with a mask covering half her face and orange hair with red highlights.

"Of course he did Isabela!" Yubelluna snapped. "He's covered in divine armor! We touch that and we'll be black with burns! He hits us with it in the right spot, we'll _have_ to retire or else the wounds may not be treatable!"

"So what do we do?" asked a girl with long blue hair who had a Zweihander strapped to her back despite her dress.

Yubelluna bit her lip, trying to think of something.

Above them, Issei lunged towards Riser whose flaming wings appeared from his back and took to the air. Issei likewise did the same with green power bursting from shoulder and back vents in his armor.

" **NINE!** "

"Eat this!" issei roared, collecting a sphere of red power in his hand. " _DRAGON SHOT!_ "

Issei launched the sphere from his palm at his target. Riser grunted and moved to the side, but he felt the sheer power from the blast. If he got hit with it, he'd be a sitting duck while he regenerated. The blast continued, striking the side of the king piece and caused and explosion which tore out the side of the tower, leaving the innards hollow.

"How did he manage to increase his power so quickly?" Riser asked himself. "It's only been a day since the Rating Game!"

Suddenly, Riser's instincts told him to move and he did so, missing the red comet which almost crashed into him from behind. A flash of green stopped it in midair and revealed itself to be Issei.

"Damn lowly Devil!" Riser frowned, collected phoenix fire into his hand. "Try this!" and he threw the fireball at the armored Devil.

"He's coming!" a set of twins, with red or blue hair called as one, gesturing to the approaching Mike.

"Damn!" Yubelluna hissed. "Karlamine! Mihae! Mira! Siris! You four lead the charge and use your weapons to keep some range on him! Xuelan and Isabela, blindside him but make sure you use your aura to cover your fists or else they'll burn off! The rest of you, Promote to Queens and see if we can't put him down that way!"

"What about me?" asked Ravel Phenix.

"Just stay back and try to blast him from above with me," Yubelluna ordered. "He's not going to make this easy and it might be our only chance! Now let's move! For Riser-sama!"

The four weapon users consisting of the Zweihander user, the brunette with the sword, a girl in a formal kimono with long black hair wielding a wooden staff, and a girl with blue hair in ponytails wielding a staff of her own in a summer dress, all charged to wards Mike with battle cries of their own.

Yubelluna and Ravel took to the sky with their wings, getting a vantage point above the battle. Left below were the red and blue twins, a South American girl with pale blue hair, and a pair of maids, one a brunette while the other had dark purple hair. Readying themselves, they let out the same battle cry, " _Promotion: Queen!_ "

Mike didn't stop his charge but instead lifted his open hands, causing the ground to burst beside him as two golden swords leaped from the stone and landed in his hands. Approaching the four attackers, he swung wide, catching his blades on Karlamine and Siris' weapons with flashes of sparks. A heavy push got them both to fall to the sidelines before the orangette and the Chinese girl, Isabela and Xuelan came from the sides with flaming fists. Again, Mike raised his arms and blocked the strikes.

"You're open!" Mira and Mihae lunged, crashing the tips of their staffs against his chest, causing Mike to be flung backwards where he crashed to the floor, tearing it up and causing a cloud. There was a tense moment from the collected women as they tried to see what was coming next.

"Did we get him?" asked Mira.

"Maybe we got lucky and knocked him out?"

*WHOOM!*

The ground exploded as two pillars of marble burst from the ground, crashing into Mira and Mihae, pushing them past their fellow Peerage members before smashing them into the far wall, covering them in rubble and dust. There was a brief flash of light before the both of them were teleported out of the arena.

" _Riser Phenix' Pawn and Bishop have retired._ "

"Honestly," Mike sighed, stepping out of the dust and tapping the pillars he summoned, letting them sink back into the ground again, "You really should have known better. Knocking me down and knocking me out are two very different things."

"Bastard!" Isabela hissed before she charged for Mike once again.

" **EIGHT!** "

"GAH!" Issei cried out, blasted out of the sky by Riser's attack, thrown almost bonelessly by it before he crashed into the rook tower. He was there a moment before he collapsed to the ground in a heap. "Ugh…dammit. That fires of the phoenix bit is no joke."

"Be glad you have that Scale Mail, Pawn!" Riser snapped from above. "If it weren't for that, there wouldn't even be ashes of you left!"

"Whatever," Issei grunted, pulling himself back up to his feet. "I don't care how many times you burn me! I'm gonna make you regret ever messing with us!" Another green flash came from his shoulders and Issei was off into the sky once again, his left arm glowing with power.

"Bah! Delusional!" Riser scoffed, lighting up his own fist with his Clan's power. Flapping his wings, he launched himself down at the rising Pawn. "I'll put you in your place!

Below, Isabela reached Mike and began swinging at him with fists coated with her Devil power and enhanced by her own Rook strength. Mike dipped back, avoiding the first blow before lunging forward, throwing his own fist right at the woman's masked face. Isabela easily dodged it before she smashed a roundhouse kick into the side of Mike's head, causing a ringing noise and forcing him to flinch. Isabela herself winced, feeling her foot tingle as if burned, no doubt from even the brief contact with Mike's divine armored body.

"Attack!"

Mike looked up only to see the remaining members of the Peerage save Ravel and Yubelluna, lunging for him, no doubt the other Rook and the remaining Pawns who were promoted into queens. They began chanelling their power into their fists or feet, shielding them temporarily from the burning effects of Mike's armor against their infernal skin. They all came in fast, striking Mike hard and in every region they could get close to. It was a complete and utter blitz. It was hardly the most dignified means of taking on an opponent, but when faced with a Campione, there was no such thing as too much…

"We got him!"

"Keep punching!"

"Don't let up!

" _By the trial of th_ _e river Busiltjörn, show me the one worthy to be my steed. Show me the one sired by Sleipnir, the steed who shall above all else be worthy of being the mount of a king!_ "

…it was usually never enough.

A blast of light shone through the women before as if a bomb had gone off, they went flying in all directions, screaming in pain. They landed in ones and twos, arms and legs, some their faces, covered in smoking burns. Where the source of the light, or its user, had touched them, burns followed and many of the women were left hissing and fumbling with the pain. In the middle of the blast of light came the call of a mighty warhorse and indeed that was what emerged from it. The pure white steed Grani with the golden form of Mike seated on his back.

"This is the second Authority I usurped, this one from Heretic God Siegfried," Mike announced. " **The King's Steed!** "

Not wanting to waste time, Mike slapped the reins and Grani took off charging down the arena. His tracks tore a trail through the arena floor, the horse's divine power damaging the Devil-created arena with the thunder of his hooves. He didn't stop as he came in on the group and targeted the last set of twins who were struggling to recover. The noticed Mike's approach and screamed as Grani came in close and raised his hooves to stomp down on them in his charge…

" **SEVEN!** "

(LINE BREAK)

 **Phenix Estate**

"Two of Riser Phenix' Pawns have retired," Grayfia's voice rang out.

The mood was still tense, but everyone watching the fight had to wince as they watched the twin girls get crushed underneath the divine horse's hooves. Fortunately, Grayfia saw fit to teleport the two out of the fight just as the horse made contact with them. They'd be alright of course, but a second of touching a horse formed by divine power on top of the burns they already took were no doubt going to leave a mark and hurt like nothing before. Many of the Devils were glad that is wasn't them having to fight the Campione. On the other hand, many were entranced by the fight between Issei and Riser, seeing just how much effort both were putting into the fight. Issei's effort was a given, considering how strongly he felt about the fight. Riser's commendable effort was more of a surprise, considering the usual arrogance Riser had towards everyone.

Below, the Gremory Peerage and Sona were watching the battle with their own opinions.

"Wow. I don't think I've ever seen Issei or Lord Summers go all out like this before," Kiba blinked.

"I suppose they want to punish Riser and his Peerage for their crimes against us," Akeno smiled, taking pleasure in seeing Mike beat down the Phenix Peerage.

"Strategically speaking, it's in their best interest if Lord Summers fights so savagely," Sona commented. "Since he lacks any truly offensive Authorities, Lord Summers usually has to fight smarter rather than try to overpower his enemies. From what I heard with Siegfried, Lord Summers knew nothing he had would be able to kill him, so he exploited weaknesses in Siegfried's sword and when he had the opening, strike Siegfried's weak point to claim victory. The same was with Momotaro. Lord Summers could not overpower or outfight him, so he learned Momotaro's style of fighting and then used his wisdom to first set the pace, then realize Momotaro's lack of experience which allowed him to play the Heretic God into impaling himself."

"I see," Koneko nodded. "Fight smarter, not harder."

"Indeed," Sona nodded. "In this battle though, Lord Summers must do away with fighting smart and instead embrace the battle instinct of a Campione if he wishes to see Issei win."

"Why is that?" asked Kiba.

"Because by capitalizing on the fear select members of the Peerage feel towards him and by attacking in grand, powerful, and no doubt painful gestures, it will keep their forces in disarray," Sona explained. "Then none of the Peerage will have the presence of mind to split their forces to assist Riser, giving Hyuudou the opportunity to fight unimpeded which judging by the countdown, he cannot afford to be."

" _ **SIX!**_ "

(LINE BREAK)

 **Rating Game Arena**

Mike pulled Grani around and prepared to charge for the still recovering Peerage again when his instinct scream at him. He quickly pulled the reins sharply to the side, steering Grani to the left. He just barely dodged several fireballs and energy spheres which caused violent explosions to rip through the space, sending rubble in all directions. Grani neighed, forcing Mike to pull back, missing Riser's remaining Peerage and stop moving. Looking up, he spied two figures besides Riser and Issei flying through the air. He easily recognized the forms of Ravel and Yubelluna, both charging up more attacks to blast at Mike some more. He glanced to the remaining Peerage and saw them mostly back on their feet. They'd be ready to go and with the air support, they'd be able to really organize more attacks.

"So it's time for my new Authority. Very well," Mike reached into his armor and flicked his wrist, producing three…croissants?

(LINE BREAK)

 **Phenix Manor**

"Weren't those on the buffet?" asked Kiba, clearly confused.

"They're good," Koneko defended, munching on one such croissant herself.

"I see," Sona nodded. "So that was the new Authority he received."

(LINE BREAK)

 **Rating Game Arena**

Mike raised the three pieces of food into the air and spoke, " _I call out to my closest allies, comrades through life and death, the ones who are my brothers in all but blood! Come to my call, the enemy awaits us amidst the cries of sorrow from the masses! Let us heed that cry!_ " The three pastries then began to glow before Mike tossed them into the air. They flashed before the forms of Inumaru, Sarumaru, and Torimaru appeared in the light before gulping down the treats with pleased cries. They flashed a second time before coming down. Like in Kuoh they were in their battle forms, looking roughly the same size and similar in appearance to a wolf, gorilla, and a condor.

" **Bonds of Brotherhood,** the third Authority I wield and the one which I usurped from Momotaro!" Mike declared. He then pointed at the standing Peerage. "Attack!"

With a howl, roar, and cry, the three beasts charged at the collected Devils.

" **FIVE!** "

Above the growing carnage, Riser and Issei still smashed into each other with clashes of fire and energy. Most of the exchanges resulted with Riser getting the edge, leaving Issei's armor beginning to crack and some of his blood leaking to of the mouth plating on his helmet. Still, Issei was if nothing else was durable as he took the blows before going to try and go for another attack. How he kept taking such painful blows and coming back would be shocking to many who knew him, but Issei was driven by forces greater than himself. Yes, perversion made for a bit of it, his desire to have Rias' virginity and her beautiful body all to himself, but that was only a small part. Issei was being driven by his desire to do right for someone who had become so precious to him. Rias had saved his life, taken pains to help him when he was hurt, pushed him to be more than he thought he could be, and never struck him or made him hurt when he slipped into his perverted ways. Already Issei wanted to do right by her, but seeing her cry for his sake, weep because of the pain another put him through, to submit to someone she loathed so he wouldn't endure that pain anymore, it pushed Issei harder than any desire to see boobs ever did.

"RRRIIIISSSEEEEER!" Issei bellowed, lunging for another punch at Riser's pretty-boy face.

"PAWN!" Riser snarled, collecting more fire.

*KRACK!*

Their attacks collided, Riser's smashing into Issei's face plate, cracking it with another splash of blood. Issei's attack managed to hit Riser right in the face. For a moment, Riser smirked, despite the pain from the initial strike he knew the wound would heal while Issei's would not. However, that quickly changed as the right side of his face suddenly lit up with pain and smoking burns, "GAAAAAAH!"

Both fighters flew back from the recoil, crashing to the arena floor in heaps. Riser dropped to his knees, screaming in pain. While no stranger to pain, Riser hadn't experienced it to the full extent one might think. As a Phenix and able to regenerate from damn near anything, pain was often fleeting and never lasted long. Ravel had blasted a whole portion of his head off when he convinced her to join his Peerage as the 'tsundere little sister' figure, tricking her under the pretense that only she could fill a more serious role. He'd just laughed it off as his head regenerated in seconds. He'd barely had a headache from it all. This pain though, it was beyond anything Riser could compare it to, thus his screaming pain.

"PAWN! PAWN!" Riser snarled, lifting his head, showing the right side of his face being blackened and smoking. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME PAWN?! HOW COULD YOU DO SUCH DAMAGE TO ME?!"

"Heh!" Issei smirked, getting up to his knees. Lifting his left arm, he opened it from the fist he had clenched the entire night. From the palm dropped a silver trinket, glistening in the low light of the battlefield. Riser's eyes widened in horror as he recognized what the object was.

"Is….is that a CROSS?!" the son of Phenix cried out in shock and horror.

"Yeah. Our Bishop used to be a member of the church so I borrowed this and boosted it with Boosted Gear before the fight began," Issei huffed, standing on his feet. "You might be the 'Immortal Phoenix' Riser, but you're nothing compared to the power of the cross in my hand!"

" **FOUR!** "

"But, but it should be impossible!" Riser grunted, standing up. "Even if you're wearing that armor, just touching that thing should be leaving you in burning agony!"

"Oh?" Issei tilted his head. Riser frowned, but then his eyes widened when for a brief second, Issei's arm seemed to change. The steel covering his left arm suddenly had the appearance of bright red scales with throbbing veins underneath. The gemstone in the back of his hand likewise seemed to no longer be a precious stone, but a reptilian eye staring smugly down on Riser. In the next moment, the arm seemed like regular armor again, but the image had been enough to shake Riser slightly.

"No, no…you didn't," Riser gaped. Like all Devils, he knew what Boosted Gear was capable of, but also of what resided inside of it. "Don't tell me you sold your arm to the dragon!"

"Yeah, I did. So what?" Issei grunted, clutching the cross in his hand again.

"You fool! Don't you get it?!" Riser snarled, backing up slightly. "You gave up your arm! You may as well have torn it off since you're never going to be the same again!"

"I don't care!" Issei growled. "If it's to save Rias, I'll sell my arms, my legs, my eyes, whatever it takes to make sure she never has to cry again!" His Sacred Gear seemed to react to his passion, causing the gem to flash, causing light to shine as the power was transferred to the cross, " **Boost!** "

*WHAM!*

*BOOM!*

*TSEEER!*

" _Three of Riser Phenix' Pawns have retired._ "

"What?!" Riser turned his gaze to where his Peerage was fighting. He gaze turned just in time to see Isabela on the ground, trying to get up with a large golden wolf having her neck in its jaws. She screamed in pain as smoke seemed to be coming from where the wolf had a hold on her. Before it could really chomp down on her though, her body flashed and she vanished, eliminated from the game.

" _Riser Phenix' Rook has retired._ "

Siris swung her sword at the white ape which was coming at her, but the beast merely reached and grabbed the weapon in the air, pinning it. Siris grasped and tried to move, but so used to her sword being unable to be blocked, she didn't react in time for the counterattack. Said counter came in the form of the gorilla's fist which crashed into her abdomen, doubling her over as she flew back, vanishing along with her sword.

" _Riser Phenix' Knight has retired._ "

Above, Yubelluna shrieked as she and Ravel sent blast after blast at the approaching condor-sized Pheasant. Despite the blasts striking it, it only seemed to singe a few feathers before it was upon them. It reared back and lashed with its talons. Ravel screamed, but Yubelluna pushed her aside before the talons tore into her, causing her to vanish before any life-threatening damage could be done. Ravel tumbled to the ground, crashing in a heap, groaning in pain as some flames rose from her body, healing her wounds.

" _Riser Phenix' Queen has retired._ "

Finally there was Mike, having dismounted Grani, facing off with Karlamine and Xuelan at the same time. The Knight charged in first, slashing wide at Mike with her flaming sword. Mike didn't bother to dodge, he knew what would happen when the weapon struck him. The weapon clanged against his armor, flames stinging his eyes, but he instead wrapped his right arm around the blade to pin it against his shoulder before he grabbed Karlamine by her wrist and yanked her closer. She yelped in surprise before she was force to let go of her sword thanks to the burns spreading on her wrist. As the sword fell away, Mike reared back his free arm and punched the Knight across the face, the downward thrust of the punch smashing her into the ground with a thud before she vanished.

" _Riser Phenix' Knight has retired._ "

Xuelan was the last, but she wasn't going to give up. With a war cry, she lunged at Mike, her fists and feet lighting up with flames as she struck at him again and again. She reared back for a straight cross, but this time Mike was ready, catching her punch and not showing a bit of discomfort from the flames caught in his fist. Zuelan grimaced, feeling the divine power of the armor beginning to eat away at her aura and launched another punch at him, but again he captured it in his free hand. Perhaps it was odd that a martial artist would get caught in a brawler's grapple, but when one exerts themselves out of fear and/or desperation, they leave themselves open.

"You're singing my palms," Mike spoke harshly before, of all things, he reared his head back and smashed his forehead against the Chinese girl's in a sparking headbutt. Xuelan screamed as she crumpled under the blow and burned, but her scream was cut off as she likewise vanished.

" _Riser Phenix' Rook has retired._ "

Mike sighed, flicking his hands to get the stinging out of them, "This has to be the most one-sided fight in history."

Riser just gaped at how brutally his Peerage was beaten. Not even one scratch on him?! His superior Peerage, lost utterly to a HUMAN?!

" **THREE!** "

"Eyes front asshole!"

A blast of green announced Issei's charge back at Phenix, prompting the Devil to get his focus back in the fight. If he was right, he just had to avoid the annoying Pawn for three more seconds…

Meanwhile, Ravel let off a groan of pain as she sat up. Shaking her head, she looked around to see how the battle was going. Horror soon came to her as she realized that she was the only member of her brother's Peerage left. She turned to see her brother and the Pawn squaring off once again with the armored Devil charging full blast against him. So entranced, she didn't notice the sound of metal clanking until the one causing it was before her, prompting her to look. She then paled and began to tremble as she looked up to see the Campione standing in front of her with his golden divine armor glinting in the low light. Behind him was his menagerie of beasts, the ones who in only a few moments ruthlessly cut down the rest of her brother's Peerage with only some bites, punches, and slashes.

"Ah….ah….ah…." Ravel squeaked, looking up in fear.

"You're the last one," he spoke.

(LINE BREAK)

 **Phenix Estate**

"NO! NO! DON'T HURT MY BABY!" Layla Phenix shrieked, summoning her wings and taking off into the air.

"Layla!" Safir Phenix shouted, preparing to follow his wife.

"It's alright Lord Phenix," Sirzechs spoke, causing the other man to turn to him. "The challenge as far as the Campione's side of it is over. Ravel's clearly lost her will to fight so it's essentially over. Lady Phenix can intervene to keep her daughter safe if she so wishes."

"But…" Safir looked to the portal his wife vanished into. "What if he…?"

"Lord Summers is hardly the brute he's depicting himself to be at the moment," Rias reassured the man. "He won't strike Ravel now that she will not fight nor will he be offended about Lady Fenix. He's just making sure he's won his part of the battle. I doubt he'll lay a finger on either of them."

" _ **TWO!**_ "

(LINE BREAK)

 **Rating Game Arena**

"LEAVE MY BABY ALONE!"

Mike blinked as a beautiful woman in a very formal gown swooped in wrapping Ravel in her arms protectively, shielding the younger girl's body with her own. She shared a very strong resemblance to Ravel, looking closer to what the girl may look like in a few years save for a few differences. Still, the woman looked up at Mike defiantly, but kept her daughter clutched closely in case he tried anything.

"M-Mother?!" Ravel gasped in her bosomy cushion.

Mike blinked, but then sighed and snapped his fingers. Grani let out a neigh and vanished into gold dust while the Three Companions did much the same. Once the beasts were gone, he sighed and let out a breath. His armor responded by almost exploding off of him, landing on the stone floor and sinking into it. Revealed in his regular form once again, Mike scratched his head, "You can relax, Lady Phenix I presume?" The woman nodded hesitantly and Mike continued. "I have to intention of harming your daughter. She's lost the will to fight now. I was just using scare tactics to make sure of it. Now that I am sure, let's just settle down and see how your son and Issei fare."

Layla frowned, but she nodded, "Very well." She stood up with Ravel, but made sure that the girl was pressed firmly to her side and always with an arm wrapped around her. Ravel blushed, but she didn't complain like she normally might have. As the baby of the family, her mother did fawn over her. At the moment, she did want to stay where she felt safe rather than feel confined in her mother's sometimes overbearing attention.

Issei and Riser dipped and ducked around each other, Issei trying to strike another blow into Riser with his left arm. Now that he knew Issei had that cross though, Riser was keeping a very close eye on Issei's arm to ensure he didn't get slugged with that fist again. In turn, he'd blast Issei back with his fiery punches, knocking the pervert back and eating up precious time in trying to reach Riser to keep fighting. Riser smirked as he watched Issei charge at him once again, he was sure he got the countdown right and…

" **ONE!** "

The Scale Mail shattered, leaving Issei to stumble as his increased power and abilities vanished, "C-crap!"

"Got you, you little worm!" Riser laughed, swooping in and grabbing Issei by the lapels of his jacket and lifting him up. "You made me work for this, but I think it was worth it. I'm actually impressed! Give you a year…no, six months and you'd have been able to beat me. You came close, but not close enough," Riser released his right arm and pulled it back. "I see now the potential Rias saw in you. So after the wedding, I'll take you under my wing and really make something of you." A small inferno wrapped around his fist, glowing brightly with his power, "First though, I'm going to knock you out. By the time you wake up the wedding will be over. So you focus on recovering from the burns while I get ready for my honeymoon!"

"Tsk!" Issei scoffed, but began to grin. "Forgive me if I want to avoid that, and I know how," he reached behind his back with Boosted Gear and pulled out something he had tucked in his belt. Lifting it up, he revealed it to be a glass container with a silver top. Popping the top off, Issei announced, "The best way to deal with fire? Water!" He then turned the contents over onto Riser's face. The effect was instant as Riser screamed with smoke wafting from his face, burns spreading over his flesh wherever the water touched him, and Issei had a good amount of it.

Riser dropped Issei as he stumbled back in pain, clutching his face. The perverted Pawn grunted as he fell, but forced himself back up again, "How's that holy water taste? Not good I bet!" Issei grinned. "I've learned a lot since I became a Devil and its all thanks to my friends. It was Asia who taught me the weaknesses of Devils which I could use against you in this fight."

"GAH!" Riser screamed. The wounds were quite severe and were not healing despite his efforts to do so. Holy power was an attack on both his body and mind. While his body would eventually heal, the pain to his mentality drained him and sapped his stamina. Not to mention it broke his confidence at the same time. Gasping, he glared at Issei and formed a powerful fireball which he threw at the perv in a ditch effort to defeat him.

" _Promotion: Knight!_ " Issei declared and suddenly he was off like a shot, leaping into the air with his new speed and avoiding the attack. "From Kiba I learned to keep my field of vision open so I don't get blindsided by a surprise attack!" Issei then landed in front of Riser again. Opening his hand, he revealed the cross and splashed what little remained of the holy water onto it. He then clenched his fist around it and had Boosted Gear react again, " **Transfer!** "

The boosted gear began to shine as the enhanced holy power coursed through it. Fortunately since Issei's arm was draconic, he didn't feel the same pain Riser would have, "It was Akeno who told me how to focus my magic into a single point and let it all break through at my command!" He then tensed, preparing to strike, "And it was Koneko who taught me to aim at the main point of my opponent's body, striking right at their heart!" A flash of light pulsed from the gem of Boosted Gear, announcing how it was ready to strike. "Mike taught me something too. No matter how impossible something seems, be it fighting gods, demons or anything in-between, there's always a way to win no matter what! You just have to look for it!"

Riser grimaced. His body was wracked with pain and he couldn't focus enough to use his wings to move. With Issei using his Knight enhancement, there'd be no way he'd be able to dodge it in time. Sputtering, Riser tried to browbeat the Pawn, "You…you can't do this! This engagement is too important to the Seventy-Two Pillars! It's for the future of Devil-kind! Don't you get it?! If you ruin this then you're risking all of our futures!"

"I don't care!" Issei barked back. "Rias is the only thing I care about and if you'd try to force her to be with you like you did…" Issei snarled and charged at Riser. "YOU'D BET I'D TAKE YOU DOWN! SUCK ON THIS, SCUMBAG!" Coming in close, Issei smashed his armored fist into Riser's gut. The force caused the Phenix to double over, but the internal damage caused him to spit out more than a little blood. He stumbled back from the strike, clutching his burned abdomen.

"You…bastard," he grunted, but then collapsed in a heap.

It was over.

"Alright Issei!" Mike laughed, clapping. Issei turned and saw Mike approaching. "Way to show an epic fight. You totally crushed him!"

"Heh! Yeah, yeah I did," Issei laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Now Rias doesn't have to marry him anymore."

"Big brother!" Ravel cried as she and her mother raced to Riser's side, helping him up despite being nearly unconscious.

Layla Phenix watched her son and then to the pair who defeated him and his Peerage. She wanted to be angry, but harm was expected in Rating Games and it was a rather intelligent move for the young Pawn to use Devil weaknesses against her son, even to the point where he sold his own arm to do it. She also knew that her son was far from a gentleman, but she had hoped settling down with a nice girl like Rias would help him mature a little and begin acting more like he was expected to in his station. That and she'd been dreaming of having Rias and her son wed like she and Venelana Gremory had planned. It seemed it was no to be though.

"Perhaps in the end this is a good thing," Layla sighed, helping her son stand. "My son is far from perfect and it seems Rias truly cannot stand him if her Peerage and allies would go this far to break the engagement. I had hoped my child would marry my friend's but it seems some things are meant to remain just fantasies," she looked to Issei and Mike. "Young man, Lord Campione, I can only apologize for my son's conduct. We will see he learns to be better from this. Perhaps with this true defeat, he'll learn a little bit of humility."

"We can only hope," Mike nodded. "So…how do we leave this space?"

"Oh, it shouldn't be long now," Layla answered mysteriously.

The comment confused the two boys, but then the arena seemed to shudder and shake. The stone and towers all began to melt and vanish before the entire arena disappeared, leaving Mike and Issei standing in the air above the courtyard where all of the Devils were watching. The Phenix women merely spread their wings and flew with Riser to the ground. Issei, who still hadn't learned to use his wings, and Mike who couldn't fly at all, didn't have that advantage and soon began to fall from quite a considerable height.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Issei!"

"I got you!"

Fortunately, both of them had help. Rias swooped in, catching Issei and holding him close with a teary smile. Mike on the other hand was caught by Akeno, but with the manner in which she caught him, his face ended up pressed into her chest. Even with the wrappings of her formal kimono, Akeno was still a very busty girl and it was still very easy to feel those endowments pressed against his face. Around them, Kiba and Koneko were likewise flying with smiles on their faces.

"Way to go you two," Kiba praised. "You really pulled it off."

"Nice job," Koneko agreed.

"Ufufufu," Akeno giggled. "Comfortable, Lord Summers?"

"Somewhat," Mike grunted, lifting his head from Akeno's breasts. "Can we go to the ground now?"

"Of course!" Akeno smiled.

Rias and Issei seemed to want to have a moment in the air, so the rest of the group headed back down to the ground. They touched down gently and Mike was freed from Akeno's bosom. Epic boobs or not, it was still a little hard to breathe when one's face was pressed into them. Adjusting himself, he looked to his Devilish friends, "So what happens now?"

"Well, I think we'd best make our leave," Akeno offered, looking to the other Devils who were trying to look at them without actually looking lest Mike somehow take offense. "We've caused enough of a ruckus."

Mike noticed the looks and nodded, "Yeah, that might be the best plan." He looked up to the sky where Rias and Issei were slowly coming down, "What about them?"

"Ufufufu!" Akeno giggled, "Let's let them have their moment. Issei worked very hard to make it happen. Buchou should show him some appreciation."

"Indeed he has earned it," A new voice spoke, announcing the arrival of Sirzechs and his Queen/wife. With him were a man and woman, dressed formally of course. The man had shoulder-length red hair and a goatee while the woman was a dead ringer for an older Rias save for the fact that she had brown hair instead of red.

"Lord Lucifer," the other Devils bowled politely.

"It's been quite a night, I have to admit," Sirzechs chuckled. "Not even I expected a Campione to join us, although I had my hopes."

"I couldn't turn down an engraved invitation," Mike nodded. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Michael Summers, the Eighth Campione."

"Sirzechs Lucifer, one of the Four Maou of the Underworld," the man smiled back. "I'm sure you've met my lovely wife Grayfia."

"Yes. Lovely as always," Mike nodded to the maid who nodded back with a smile.

"And may I introduce my parents, Lord Valens Gremory and Lady Venelana Gremory," Sirzechs continued.

"How do you do?" Valens greeted

"Greetings," Venelana smiled beautifully.

"A pleasure," Mike nodded respectfully. "Rias is truly a special young woman. You two must be proud of her."

"Indeed we are," Valens smiled. "Of course, then there's days like these where we wonder if we went a little too easy on her sometimes."

"Hush dear, you're just as proud of her now as I am," Venelana tittered, swatting her husband's shoulder. The man winced, but chuckled. It was obvious to see that despite their title, the Gremory were indeed rather laid back about decorum. A broken engagement should have been a black mark in their books, but they just laughed it off. Obviously they were the kinds of nobles who cared more about their people than they did their images unlike some stereotypical nobles.

Mike chuckled, but grew somewhat serious, "I hope there isn't going to be any backlash from tonight. I know Issei and I may have looked a little brutish out there with the tactics we used and ended a prominent engagement with it. Not to mention how important this engagement was supposed to be in the first place."

"Oh don't worry about it," Valens waved off the concern. "If anyone has bloodline concerns then it's already taken care of. Sirzechs has our grandson Millicas and Safir's oldest boy already has a child so pureblood children isn't a concern."

Mike raised an eyebrow, "If there's another generation of pureblood Devils then why the engagement?"

"Well," Venelana looked to the side a little guiltily. "Layla-chan and I may have been hoping to unite our families for a while. We're such good friends and I hoped that our children would be the same to the point where they would get married. Politically it was a good decision too, but mainly because we just wanted to unite our families." She giggled. "That and I guess that we Devils can be a bit greedy by nature."

"Too true," Valens agreed. "No, there won't be much backlash for us, but you on the other hand may see some."

"Me?" Mike blinked.

"You're a Campione who sees Devils favorably," Valens explained. "Needless to say many Devil families will try to forge alliances with you. While many Devils will no doubt fear you because of the memory of Campione Dante, they will be just as covetous of your power and abilities, hoping to use them for their own aspirations. You will have to be careful about which families you mingle with from now on."

"No doubt," Mike nodded. Remembering one question he had to asked, he looked to Grayfia, "Ms. Grayfia, how are the rest of Riser's Peerage? Not too badly wounded I hope?"

"No," Grayfia shook her head. "Once they were struck hard enough by you or your beasts, I had them removed. Holy power is damaging enough, but divine can truly be lethal if it is not treated or left to fester long enough. It is why even if they could continue to fight despite the wounds, we had them eliminated from the Rating Game. The only one who was at risk was Isabela since your dog had her by the throat, but she was treated and is now resting."

"That's good," Mike smiled. "I knew I couldn't wear kiddy gloves for them so what better way to eliminate them fast than to smack them with divine gold or divine beasts?"

"A sound strategy," Sirzechs nodded. Looking up, he saw that Rias and Issei were finally coming back down, causing him to smile, "Now if you would excuse me, we'd best congratulate my little sister and her hopeful little paramour."

"Ah, then don't mind me," Mike smiled. "Go say your congratulations."

The Gremory Clan said their goodbyes before leaving to deal with their youngest member and her Pawn. Once they were gone, Rias' remaining Peerage allowed themselves to relax a little. Kiba heaved a sigh, "Well, I think we all had a little too much drama tonight. How about we get out of here?"

"I can get behind that," Mike nodded. "So how about we head out to have a party of our own? I'll foot the bill."

"Sure," Koneko nodded. "Let's go."

"Oh my, Koneko-chan is eager," Akeno giggled. "Well then, we can't turn down an invitation from a king now can we?"

"Good," Mike grinned. "Then let's head back to Earth so I can get some reception and call up Villetta or Cornelia to give us a ride. I'm craving beef!"

Koneko nodded, looking insistent in her own dispassionate way "Let's go."

(LINE BREAK)

 **Mike's Apartment**

"I'm home!" Mike called, stepping into the apartment. "Don't save any dinner for me. I'm stuffed."

"Good. Because we didn't save any feeling you'd fend for yourself at the party," Villetta announced from the living room. "We also have a guest tonight."

"We do?" Mike blinked. "It's not another family trying to suck up to me, is it?"

"No," Villetta answered as Mike approached. "It's your girlfriend."

Mike blinked and approached, seeing that it was indeed Yura sitting on the sofa across from Villetta. What struck Mike as odd was the fact that Yura was wearing a rather fancy dress, one which hugged her figure and had frills on it. She even had a corset tied to her wrist. She definitely didn't look like the tomboy she usually portrayed herself as. What Mike also noticed that despite how pretty she was, she had her faced etched in quite a prominent frown.

"Um…" Mike blinked, confused. "What's the occasion?"

"Well!" Yura huffed. "When Kaichou informed me of the result of the Rating Game and that she was invited to the engagement party, I figured since Rias was your friend and it'd be a political no-no to not do so, I thought you'd be invited as well. I got all dressed up and waited for you to invite me," She frowned. "Then you never even called me. Then Kaichou called and told me not only did you go to the party without me, but you also brought that perv Issei instead of me!"

"BWUH?!" Mike recoiled. Was she actually angry that he didn't bring her as his date to the engagement party? "B-But I didn't go there for a party! I went there to help issei crash the thing and kick Riser's ass so we could break Rias' engagement to him! It wasn't a date night, but…well, business! Honest!"

"Kaichou told me that too!" Yura nodded, still angry. "But…then when it was all over you went and had a party with Rias' Peerage and you _still_ didn't invite me! I'm your girlfriend! How could you exclude me so much?"

"Um…well…I…didn't think…you'd be interested?" Mike tried to offer.

"That's no excuse!" Yura cried, standing up. "You should have at least called and asked!"

Villetta watched the byplay and tittered slightly. Yura was going to be a good influence on their shared lover, keeping him from forgetting that he was a teenager, not just a king.

And the drama. Couldn't forget about that.

 **To be Continued…**


	9. Pieces are Set

**I do not own Campione, High School DxD, or the elements of Code Geass that I chose to incorporate into this story. I am only writing this for fun and not for any sort of profit. If you do not like this story then you are free to leave it and find something more to your tastes. For those you that remain, I hope you continue to enjoy and support the story.**

 **God Slayer DxD**

 **By Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Chapter 9: Pieces are Set**

Mike sighed, laying back against a tree near the old school building at Kuoh Academy. It was lunchtime and he was enjoying his lunch. Of course, with him was his second and public girlfriend Yura Tsubasa as they enjoyed one another's company for the time they had it. They didn't share classes and often Sona had something for Yura to do for the first few hours after school. So what time they could get, they'd seize when they got the chance. Case in point, Yura sitting across Mike's lap as they ate.

"You don't have to rub it in you know," Issei grumped as he watched his friend act all cute with his girlfriend.

"Sorry, but time together can be rare sometimes so we got to use it when we can," Mike shrugged casually. "Don't like it, get your own girlfriend to snuggle with."

"According to the rumors, he's got all the girls in the Occult Research Club to do that for him," Yura grinned, quite pleased and casual with her seating.

"I wish," Issei huffed.

"Um…" Asia spoke up. "I-Issei if you'd like I'd sit in your lap i-if you want."

Issei's mood did a complete turnaround as he looked to the former nun, "R-Really?! You'd do that for me Asia?!"

"Careful. The perv might use it to feel you up," Koneko spoke as she mechanically ate her lunch.

"Koneko! Come on! Do I look like the kind of guy who'd do that to Asia?" Issei groaned as once again, the silver-haired underclassman broke his balls.

"Yes."

"Awwww!"

"Ah ha ha, as merciless as ever," Kiba laughed as he enjoyed the noon hour with his friends.

The seasons had changed recently, prompting the students of Kuoh to wear their summer outfits. The boys did away with their outer jackets while the girls had removed their mantles. With the warmer weather coming, the change was necessary. Of course, Issei was all for it since any excuse for a girl to wear less clothing was a wonderful excuse to him. His fellow perverts agreed and there had been an upswing in peeking incidents since the uniform change.

The weather wasn't the only thing to change. Since Issei sold his arm to Ddraig, he needed Akeno to drain the excess power from his arm to get Boosted Gear to go dormant. It would only last for a few days before Boosted Gear would forcibly activate again, making the ritual necessary at least twice a week. Of course, Mike was sure Issei was trying to milk as many sessions as he could since he heard the pervert mutter how Akeno wore nothing but a white robe to conduct it one day after a ritual was completed.

Probably the most profound change was the fact that Rias suddenly moved into Issei's house. She really didn't give a clear reason why she did it, but everyone suspected after seeing Issei fight so hard for her against Riser Phenix, she fell hard for him. So as a Devil who wanted something, she took steps to get it. Mike was pretty sure she used some kind of Devil magic to get Issei's parents to accept it, but the pair were so pleased to have girls to help raise it likely didn't take much. With a son like Issei, having some daughters to spoil would be a blessing in itself.

As for Mike himself, after he got out of the doghouse with Yura for going to date-worthy parties and not inviting her, not too much had changed. He'd begun martial arts lessons with Cornelia so he wouldn't be a complete brawler when his fighting came down to hand to hand. As much as he liked the idea, he couldn't always spam his weapons or his Three Companions at his enemies. Since he didn't have a direct offensive Authority to fight with, he had to rely on skill, tactics, and his Wisdom of Solomon to win the day.

Oddly enough, Mike had been expecting numerous Devil families to petition him for some reason or another since his debut in the Underworld. Since that appearance though, not one family had gotten in touch with him which he felt was odd. He figured that many Devils were still afraid of offending him for some reason or another. That, or since he was confirmed to be allied with the Sitri and the Gremory, the other families were keeping back to avoid the attention of the two powerful families for trying to horn in on their alliance. Either way, he was glad not to have to travel that political minefield just yet.

"So Lord Summers, the school's athletic meet is coming up," Kiba spoke up, changing the subject from Issei's crushed ego. "Are you going to compete too?"

"You know you don't have to be all formal with me in a relaxed setting like this," Mike commented. Sighing, he shook his head. "Anyway, it would kind of be unfair of me, wouldn't it? I mean, I'm a Campione and pretty much superhuman compared to most of the other students here."

"Oh come on it's not that bad," Issei huffed. "I mean, we're all competing in the club meet."

"Yup," Yura nodded. "The Student Council is competing too."

"Well you Devils do enjoy a stacked deck," Mike grinned teasingly. "Those poor, poor, mundanes. They won't know what hit them."

"Hell yeah!" Issei crowed. "For once I'll actually be able to win at a sport!"

"I'm really excited about this meeting too!" Asia beamed. "I was never able to play spots in the church so this will be the first time for me."

"Well good luck," Mike nodded to the former nun. "It can be hard work, but when you've got a team of friends it can be a lot of fun."

"Yes!" the cute blonde smiled back.

*DING-DONG!*

"There's the bell," Yura whined as she stood up while the others packed up their lunchboxes. "Back to the daily grind."

"Well, let's get to it," Kiba nodded as he got up. "See you two tonight at the meeting, Asia, Issei."

"Yeah, sure," Issei nodded. "Ready Asia?"

"Yes!" Asia beamed, stepping very close to Issei's side. It made Mike want to laugh since it was obvious that Asia was crushing pretty hard on Issei and for all the guy talked about being a Harem King, he didn't seem all that good at recognizing when a girl had her sights on him.

' _I'm sure he'll figure it out,_ ' Mike reasoned as he gave Yura a kiss on the cheek before they separated for their respective classrooms.

* * *

Mike heaved a sigh as he sat back down at his desk, mentally preparing himself for the evil that was mathematics. The teacher had yet to arrive so some of the students were still milling around. Seeing nothing else to do, Mike turned his attention to his book bag where he had some manga stashed for entertainment between classes. Since he hooked up with Yura though, he had less reading time at lunch. Fortunately, the make out time more than made up for it. Flipping through the pages to where he had left the bookmark, he kept reading. It was written purely in Japanese, but the _Language_ ability of a Campione made it seem like English. So he could read the stories fresh off the press in Japan instead of waiting for the release in English like his friends back home did.

"Alright, kick some ass Naruto," he grinned, looking through the pages.

He was just about to get to the good part when…

"Excuse me."

Mike internally groaned and closed his book, looking up to see who had spoken to him. Unsurprisingly, it was another Kuoh student and a female one at that. She wore the uniform well, as pretty much every girl in the school did. What made her stand out was the fact that she had red hair. It wasn't the exact same shade of red Rias had, although Mike would swear it came close. It hung close to her chin, but while her bangs hung, the rest curved away, giving her something of a tomboy look if he had to be honest. Her eyes were blue and expressive, but seemed to be closer to the almond shape of the Japanese rather than the wider ones of a Caucasian, possibly hinting at a mixed heritage. She had her arms crossed under her breasts and she looked quite serious.

"Um…yes?" Mike asked. "Miss…uh…?"

"Kozuki. Kozuki Kallen," the girl answered. "And I have a request for you."

Mike blinked, but then he heard the girls in the classroom beginning to gossip around them.

"Uh-oh, looks like Rias-sempai's tomboy clone is making her move!"

"Like she's got a chance with the Hidden Prince."

"Yeah, he's taken by Yura-sempai anyway."

"Maybe if she acted more like a girl she'd have a shot."

"He deserves a more alluring mistress."

Kallen grit her teeth in an effort to ignore the comments before turning her attention back to Mike, "I'm a member of the Japanese Culture Research Club. Basically, our club researches our country's history and traditions as well as performing them."

"O…kay," Mike nodded. So it was like the Tea Ceremony Club, but it focused on all Japanese traditions instead of just one. At first it might seem redundant since they were in Japan, but since such a big portion of the school's students were foreign, such a club actually could get some momentum behind it. "So how can I help you Kozuki-san?"

"Okay, here's the deal," Kallen sighed. "The recruitment drive at the beginning of the year didn't go so well and we only got a few members. A bunch of our members graduated last year so we have only a small gathering right now. We don't have enough members for the club sports events so I'm hunting down every student who isn't in a club and asking them to join up."

"Oh," Mike nodded. "So you're asking me to join your club to help with the club sports events?"

"Yeah," Kallen nodded. "You don't have to attend meetings or anything. We'd have you marked down as a phantom member, someone who's a member in name only. We won't force you to attend if you don't want to. It also looks good on transcripts and stuff if you've been part of a club. Being a member of one which brings better knowledge about the Japanese people might earn you some brownie points later if you decide to stay. Plus some of the skills we learn in the traditions can be applied else-!"

"Okay, I get it," Mike cut her off. Thinking on the offer, he considered it. On one hand, he had just said he wasn't likely to join the sports events since he'd be so much better than the majority of the students. Then again, in a club event it wouldn't be so much just him but a whole group of people. Besides, both the Occult Research Club and the Student Council were going to compete and that definitely wouldn't be a fair game. It might even out depending on the game, but the Devils would definitely have a physical advantage. Besides, before ending up a Campione, he did want to participate in the cultural stuff Japan had to offer too.

"Well," Mike finally sighed, causing Kallen to wince, anticipating a rejection. "I did come to Japan to learn about the culture so this club sounds right up my alley. I also did want to compete in the sports events, so why not?" Kallen blinked in surprise as Mike smiled at her. "So I say sure. I'll join the Japanese Culture Research Club. I just hope I can get along with everyone.

"Oh thank God," Kallen slumped in relief. She grinned at Mike, "Okay, our next meeting is after school in classroom 2-A. Can you make it?"

"Sure can," Mike nodded. "See you there?"

"Oh yeah," Kallen nodded. "Have to give the president the proof I got a member or else I'll get the penalty anyway."

"Well, I'll meet you there then after the final bell," Mike nodded.

"Thanks. You really saved my ass," Kallen laughed.

"Then that's my good deed for the day," Mike grinned. Their conversation was then halted as the teacher arrived, prompting everyone to begin heading for their seats. Kallen nodded a goodbye to Mike before doing the same. The Eighth Campione waved, but then sighed as he got his math books and tried to gear his mind towards the evil numbers.

* * *

They day progressed and soon the bell rang, announcing that all of the students could go home for the day. Cleaning up, Mike got his book bag and left his classroom, but didn't turn to go home. Instead, he turned down the hall and headed for a different classroom. Finding the one marked 2-A, he stopped when he heard a whine of some sort come from it. Confused, he pressed his ear up against the door to make sure he heard properly.

"Madam President, do we have to dress like this?"

"Ufu fu fu! Of course! You all agreed to pay the penalty if you failed."

"But this is embarrassing! What if someone sees us?!"

"That's the price to pay for being so pretty!"

Mike felt some confusion come from the complaints, but he decided that he had better find out. He knew it was classroom 2-A that the Japanese Culture Research Club was meeting at so he was in the right place. Preparing himself for something shocking, as seemed to be the norm for Kuoh, he knocked on the door.

"Oh! Come in~!" a girl answered in a song-song tone.

Mike took hold of the door and opened it…and promptly stopped. Inside was indeed a regular classroom and several of the desks had been moved to create a large boardroom-style table. At the head of it was a girl wearing a Kuoh uniform, sporting slightly curled blonde hair which tumbled past her shoulders and had bright blue eyes. Still, the mischievousness in her eyes was as obvious as a neon sign. She sat regally at the head of the table, like a noblewoman who was playing host to a group of her fellows. She had one leg folded over the other and a teacup of all things in her hand. That in itself wouldn't be so odd were it not for the others in the room.

Next to the table was a girl not in the Kuoh uniform, but a maid uniform instead. One that seemed to emphasize what curves she had since it was obviously a size smaller than what would be considered proper. The skirt was also quite short, meaning if she bent over she'd give everyone with the desire to look a show. Her features were pretty, but leaned closer to plain. She wore glasses, nothing styled like Sona, just regular glasses. Her hair was black but tied back in a bun while her bangs hung long low to chest level. She seemed to have a blush permanently painted on her face which only turned darker when Mike entered the room.

The girl next to her seemed to fare no better, wearing the exact same outfit. She had long orange hair which hung down to the small of her back. She sported amber eyes with a tint of green in them. Like her fellow maid, she seemed mortified enough by her current situation. When Mike came into the room, she just seemed to grow even more embarrassed by it all and it showed as her face reddened and her eyes widened as someone she didn't know managed to catch her in the act of wearing a sexy maid uniform.

The only other guy in the room looked less uncomfortable. He was dressed up as a proper butler, the kind of uniform girls liked to see a man wearing. He had semi-long blue hair and his bangs spread away from him and sported grey eyes. Unlike the girls who seemed mortified by their attire, he was anything but. If anything, he seemed to be enjoying the fact that he was catering to the blonde. That was made abundantly clear as he served her tea with a goofy grin.

The last person in the room was Kallen, spared the maid treatment as she sat at another chair. Glancing at the door, she waved as Mike entered the room, prompting him to greet her back with his own wave.

"Welcome to the Japanese Culture Research Club!" the blonde smiled. "Are you perhaps our newest member?"

"Um…something like that," Mike nodded. Looking to the two mortified girls, he just felt he had to ask, "Ah…what's with the maid treatment? I thought this researched Japanese culture."

"Merely a taste of why the Japanese concept of a 'maid café' is considered so popular," the blonde smiled.

"This was the penalty if we couldn't get any new members to come," Kallen spoke up. "Like I said, you saved my ass."

"Anyway!" the blonde stood up. "My name is Milly Ashford, the president of the Japanese Culture Research Club. I would have been the Student Council President, but alas," she sighed dramatically, looking quite put out, "I was outdone by Shitori Sona's superior managerial skills and connections"

"Oh, so you ran against her?" Mike asked.

"I still demand a recount! No way Shitori could have beat Milly!" the butler demanded hotly. "She had to make a deal with the devil or something to win! She just had to!"

' _Not too far off the mark there,_ ' Mike thought, almost snorting. Sona didn't make a deal with a Devil, she WAS a Devil. "And you are?"

"Oh, uh…Rivalz Cardemonde," the butler smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Nice to meet you."

"Michael Summers. Just call me Mike," the Campione nodded back.

"And my I introduce our lovely maids for our meeting!" Milly grinned. "The cute one with glasses is Nina Einstein and the just as cute orangette is Shirley Fennete. Don't they simply make the most adorable maids?"

"Madam President," the one identified as Shirley groaned while Nina just seemed to blush harder.

"And of course you've already met Kallen," Milly continued, gesturing to the only other person in her club who wasn't dressed up. "There, introductions complete! Now let's party and welcome our new club member, maid style!"

"B-b-b-but, Miss President!" Nina whined. "Th-this is embarrassing!"

Milly merely grinned, "Ah, ah, ah! You all agreed to the penalty if you couldn't bring in any new members! It's one of the club rules you know. Any and all penalties must be paid out in full when issued."

"Then how come you aren't in a maid outfit?" Shirley huffed, almost pouting.

"Well, someone has to enjoy the attentions of our lovely serving staff," Milly shrugged. "Besides, I issued the order. It was up to the rest of you to follow."

"Right," Shirley just grumped.

And so Mike was introduced to the members of the Japanese Culture Research Club. He learned that Milly was in fact the heiress to Ashford Industries, a heavy machinery production corporation. They had offices all over the world and Milly just picked Japan at random to attend school, likely because of everything she discovered in anime or something. She had indeed run against Sona for the Student Council, but had lost the election. Not to be put down, she began the JCRC since if she couldn't be the student president, she'd be a club president instead.

Rivalz had come from America, the son of a big wine production family with roots in Italy. The reason he was in Japan was that his family was looking into far east markets and considering going into rice wine production. So as they set up their production, it was decided he'd go to school in Japan considering their educational standards. Mike could also tell from watching him dote over Milly as her butler that he was crushing hard on the exuberant blonde but likely just hadn't come out and said anything.

Shirley's story was not nearly as exciting. Her father was merely a programmer to a very prominent firm. His latest job required him to move to Japan for some time and rather than separate the family, her parents decided to all move there and keep together. She was somewhat quiet and could be considered a wall flower. Mike figured she didn't like to stand out all that much and her aversion to the maid outfit confirmed as such.

It was a little harder to get Nina' story since she seemed so shy. From what Mike could gather, she was the daughter of diplomats and had been all over the world. She wasn't forthcoming in any more details besides that and Mike certainly didn't want to pry over it. Still, when one hears a story like that they just get curious…

Kallen was perhaps the most dramatic. Her father was a business tycoon from Britain who shacked up with her Japanese mother when he came to expand his business in Japan and got her pregnant not with Kallen, but her older brother Naoto. They tried to make it work and had Kallen in the process, but with him gone so much and her staying behind it was best decided the two go their separate ways. One might consider that a little personal, but it had happened so long ago Kallen had to qualms about telling it, considering it a juicy story in its own right.

They were a pretty mixed bag, but Mike found himself getting along with them quite easily. He could do worse for a new club to hang out with.

* * *

With the School Sports Meet coming up soon, Milly decided the club didn't have time for regular activities when they had training to do. So she dedicated each upcoming meeting to training and preparing for the club sports events. The athletic clubs already had such a big advantage over others so it was imperative to cram as much training as they could. Of course, there were prizes being allotted to the individuals and clubs who did best, although for the clubs it was along the lines of group benefits from the school or trips or something along those lines so everyone wanted to win.

Still, the day in question arrived and everyone was keyed up and ready to go. Of course, right from the start things began to get crazy since the first matchup of the day was between Rias and Sona with Akeno and Tsubaki playing as their partners in a game of tennis. It was big news and soon a mob was circling the tennis court, watching four of the school's top ladies preparing to do battle in short-skirted tennis outfits. Needless to say, everyone was entranced, especially the guys. It seemed like the entire male portion of the school had come to watch the game.

"Seriously?" Mike blinked, looking at how worked up some of the guys were. "Are all the girls in this school celibate or something? It has to be the only reason why everyone gets so worked up at seeing those girls in tennis uniforms."

"Don't look at me. I gave up wondering why they're all so desperate a long time ago," Kallen shrugged. "Of course, it begs to question why all the girls get worked up too."

"Something about seeing how elegant they are from what I understand," Mike replied, taking note over the number of girls who seemed just as entranced as the guys were, but for different reasons. "These people need hobbies."

"No arguments here," the half-British redhead agreed.

"Serve!"

The game soon began and all hormonal hell broke loose. Thanks to the stylish gear the girls in the court were wearing, when they made the right movements, they ended up flashing their panties towards the crowds. That just got the guys in attendance hooting and hollering in cheer. Seeing how wild his fellow men got, Mike was just glad that Akeno decided not to be a total tease for once and wear a sports bra or else the guys in attendance would turn into complete cavemen and probably cause a riot.

"Oh man," Issei grinned, watching the match with an unflinching gaze, "Tennis balls aren't the only thing bouncing around. This game rocks!"

"Oh man, I'm filling up the spank bank with this one yo!" Matsuda grinned, actually using binoculars to watch the game even though he was right next to the fence.

"I wish they'd play a little two on one on my junk!" Motohama added, using his own pair of binoculars to watch.

Mike had the unfortunate luck to hear that, seeing as he wanted to say hello to Issei, only to hear him and his fellow perverts make commentary over their personal fantasies and color commentaries on the players' breasts. That was when Tsubaki made her move with her racket, launching the ball at Akeno who was quick to retaliate, both movements kicking up their skirts and in the process.

"CAMELTOE!" several guys cried out in sheer joy.

Mike groaned dropping his head in despair, "Kallen…are me and Kiba the only guys here who aren't total desperate virgin slaves to their hormones?"

"You're a dying breed it seems," Kallen replied, looking less than impressed with the school's male students.

"Shut up, Damn Handsome!" two of the Perverted Trio snapped, overhearing the comments.

The game continued, and despite Rias and Sona both resorting to magic (how the students never noticed Mike wasn't sure) it ended in a tie when both girls' rackets broke. No one was really disappointed though. For the girls, they got to see more of the elegant action they knew the top ladies of the school were capable of. For the guys, they got to see an incredible amount of boob bounce and panty shots. The only ones who seemed really disappointed were Issei and Saji who had been strongly supportive for their respective Kings. Almost to the point of them picking fights with each other over it.

"Well, that ate up a good half hour," Kallen commented as the mob began to disperse. "I'm going to go watch Milly and Shirley's events. You want to come?"

"In a minute," Mike shrugged. "I want to say hi to some friends."

Separating, Mike headed down to where his Devil friends were converging. Approaching, he reached Tsubaki first, "Great game out there Tsubaki."

"Ah!" Tsubaki whipped around, a towel on her shoulders and a drink in her hand. Seeing Mike, she calmed down but cursed as she felt herself blushing. Making he would see it as from the exertion? "Um…yes, thank you Lord Summers. It was quite invigorating."

"Yeah, although was using magic necessary?" Mike grimaced.

"Caught that did you?" Tsubaki smiled. "Well, when it comes to Kaichou and Rias' rivalry, all bets are off. Just be glad they were as subtle as they were about it."

"I think subtlety went out the window when the rackets broke," Mike commented, chuckling.

"Perhaps, but when it comes to udon there is no excuse for holding back," Tsubki replied. "It's Sona's favorite meal and an entire meal's worth of it was on the line for this match."

"…o…kay?" Mike blinked. He obviously didn't get how a food could be that good, but he'd just go with it.

"Hey Sweetie!" Mike heard and he turned to see his public girlfriend approaching with a smile. With a grin, Mike wrapped an arm around her and kissed her forehead, making Yura preen under the affection. It also made Momo and Ruruko huff as they wanted the same treatment from Saji, but he never seemed to clue in on their affections. "Was the tennis match sexy enough for you?"

"Only if you were in it," Mike replied with a cheeky grin.

"And that's the right answer," Yura laughed, poking Mike's side, before stepping back. "Coming to check on your girlfriend?"

"And seeing a few other friends," Mike replied. "The JCRC events are coming up soon so I'd thought I'd come say hi to some friends and tease some of you about how wild the tennis match got. Then you can all come laugh at me as we flub our team sport."

"I'll be there!" Yura laughed. She glanced over at Tsubaki whose grip on her drink seemed to become slightly crushing. "Want to come too, Fukukaichou?"

"Well…" Tsubaki suddenly became slightly shy and a little indecisive, not something she was known for, "I suppose…if we have the time between our own events…I could come and watch…maybe."

"Cool," Mike nodded. "See you there then." Another kiss to Yura's cheek and he was off.

Yura waved as he left, feeling gooey whenever he gave her that warm affection. Savoring it, she looked to Tsubaki who was crushing her drink again and gritting her teeth. Smiling, Yura decided maybe offer some peace, or twist the knife in a little more, whichever worked, "You know, you can still get in on this if you want to. His Authority worked on you too so he has to have some kind of feelings for you. What's stopping you?"

"Gck?!" Tsubaki turned red and quickly turned away. "I...I…I have too many things to do to juggle a boyfriend on top of it all!"

"Sure you do," Yura grinned.

* * *

The team sports turned out to be just as wild as the single sports as far as the Devils and one Campione of the school were concerned. It started when the ORC were joined in a game of dodgeball against the baseball team. Normally one might expect it to be a bit more of an even match but that was not to be. Once the game began, the entire Baseball Team zoned in on Issei and hurled a constant barrage of volleyballs at him and him alone. Why you ask? Simple. On the opposing team were Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima, the Two Great Ladies of Kuoh. No one in their right mind would dream of throwing a volleyball at them. Also on that team were the cutest foreign exchange student Asia Argento and the school's uber-cute mascot Koneko Tojou. Again, no one with a heart would dream of hitting them. Then there was Kiba Yuuto, the school's prince. He was a more acceptable target for the guys, but anyone who hit him would have all of the girls' ire forever so there was no hitting him. That left Issei, the pervert no one liked and who many felt had no business being in the ORC so it was open season on him.

The game ended when Issei took a shot to the balls for Kiba who wasn't really into the game and got eliminated. It killed the baseball team's will to fight since the only target was gone, leaving a crushing victory for the ORC.

The Student Council's baseball game wasn't as fierce, but it still ended in a crushing victory. Although, it wasn't due to their enhanced Devil bodies, but the incredible teamwork that Sona instilled in her Peerage. The Tea Ceremony club never stood a chance.

Then came the JCRC's match. It wasn't a traditional sport, but instead it was simply a game of Shoulder Wars. It was mainly an event which had half the team members on the shoulders of the other half. The lifted members would be wearing a hat and the object of the game was to capture the hats of the opposing team. Whoever eliminated the other team, or had more members at the end of the set time would be the winners. It was a simple and some might say childish game, but it was an event the organizers agreed to and so it would be played.

That was how Mike found himself with Kallen sitting on his shoulders with Rivalz happily supporting Milly and Shirley struggling to keep Nina up in the air. The three girls were wearing black top hats which would be the target for the enemy. Mike perhaps normally would have felt a bit uncomfortable since he had a girl he was only introduced to a short time ago on his shoulders. Now it was even worse since Milly had insisted on a particular dress code since all the teams had to have a commonality in their uniform. In the JCRC's case, the boys were dressed in traditional high school boy uniforms with black shirts with gold buttons while the girls were wearing traditional fukus with red scarves and blue coloring, like something out of a manga. That included the skirts.

"Mike, if you turn your head, I will kill you," Kallen hissed from her perch on Mike' shoulders.

"Duly noted," Mike gulped, blushing as he tried not to feel Kallen's thighs touching his ears.

Rivalz didn't seem to mind, although from the look on his face it seemed he was trying to develop the ability to see through the back of his own head.

Shirley was struggling just to keep Nina up on her shoulders and thus couldn't say anything.

"Our enemy is the Swim Team!" Milly announced, posing like she was a general on her war horse. "We shall confront them today and go onward to greater glory against our peers! Show no mercy and show no fear! Go forward and let us claim victory!"

"YEAH!" Rivalz cheered.

"Guh!" Shirley panted, as Nina trembled.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Mike looked up to Kallen.

"You and me both," the redhead groaned.

"CHARGE!"

And so the JCRC did charge, heading against another team of six members wearing swim trunks and Hawaiian shirts regardless of the gender. They were in the middle of the track field so any tumbles wouldn't hurt too badly. That turned out to be a comfort since Shirley couldn't hold up any longer and tripped, sending her and Nina crashing to the ground. Fortunately, Nina kept the hat on so they were able to stay in the game. That worked in their favor since none of the other players could bend over to reach Nina's head while they were down.

Milly proved to be an effective a player as she was a leader as she had Rivalz speedwalked laps around the other players. She would try to get in from behind to snag some hats and would dip dangerously to do so in the process. Rivalz almost tumbled over more than once as Milly made a lunge for her target. Still, high risk had high reward and soon Milly had one of the Swim Team's hats, cheering as she held it high for all to see.

Mike and Kallen were proving to be the power team though. With Mike's Campione strength, he could easily hold Kallen's weight and even run at full speed. Kallen yelped slightly as Mike began moving, disrupting her balance. Still, she managed to get her footing so to speak and the two really raced. Moving past one pair of players who were much slower, Kallen snapped out with a hand and managed to grab their hat, causing the girl to yelp and thrash, prompting her male carrier to lose his balance and both tumbled.

"Dammit! You won't win this one Prince!" the last male member of the team shouted, charging for Mike and Kallen.

"Ichiro! Don't talk that way to the Secret Prince!" the girl on his shoulders scolded.

"Whatever! Just grab that hat from Rias' clone!"

"Will you people stop calling me that!?" Kallen snapped, her eyes flaring. "We don't look anything alike! We just have red hair!"

"Yeah, her boobs are too small to pass for Rias anyway," came Motohama's voice from the stands.

"Word." Matsuda agreed.

"Shut up, pervs!" Mike turned his head, glaring at the two over Kallen's thigh. He put some his Campione killing intent into it, causing both boys to yelp and fall over. Call him old-fashioned, but one doesn't just talk about a girl like all she was to be known for was the size of her chest.

"Eyes forward!" Kallen snapped, forcibly twisting Mike's head front and centre. "Now come on! Let's win this!"

Mike made his charge and Kallen prepared herself and the two opposing forces met. The Swim Team member was good, able to swing fast from so much swimming, but Kallen seemed to have a natural knack for thrusting with her arms, dodging one such swing before launching her arm and knocking the hat right off of her opponent's head. The clash ended and Mike sprinted away as Kallen held up the second hat with a grin on her lips.

*PHWEET!*

"Japanese Culture Research Club wins!" the referee announced.

"Yeah!" the duo cheered, but as Mike spun around, his foot slipped, causing both teens to fall backwards with loud cries, "WAGH!"

The pair collapsed in a heap on the ground, Kallen losing both hats in the process. Fortunately, the game was over so it didn't matter. Mike groaned, getting the ringing out of his head from the thump he took. His body was more durable than most humans, but that didn't mean that pain didn't hurt. Sighing at his victory being tainted by the goof up, he opened his eyes so he could stand up. Instead of the open sky like he was expecting to see, what he was looking at was a rather large expanse of pink. "Huh?"

"You lucky bastard!" he heard one of the trio yell out.

"Don't those guys complain enough?" Mike groaned and blinked again, thinking his vision was just being fuzzy. He blinked three times before he realized that he wasn't in fact suffering from fuzzy vision, but looking at something which was pink and filling his entire vision. "Uh…."

"YOU PERV!"

Kallen's scream sounded off before the pink spun around to show the angry redhead with her fist reared back.

"Wait!" Mike cried

*POW!*

"Ow!" Kallen cried, leaping up and cradling her fist. Getting up she backed away from Mike, watching her hand turn red, "Dammit! What is your head made of?"

"Flesh and blood, just like you," Mike grunted as he sat up. He rubbed his cheek from where the punch had landed. He felt it, and it hurt, but he was used to way worse. "Honestly, I wasn't trying to look. We just tumbled and ended up that way. You were there."

"Right," Kallen winced, shaking the growing numbness from her hand. "Whatever. Just don't let it happen again."

"Duly noted," Mike nodded before he stood, but by then Kallen was already walking away. "Man, I hope this doesn't make her think I'm like Issei."

* * *

Kallen winced as she felt the ice pack rest on her knuckles. The school nurse said she'd be looking at a mighty bruise and her hand would be swollen for a little bit. In fact, she was lucky she didn't break a knuckle or something along those lines. When the nurse asked what she'd hit, Kallen just made up the lie that she'd pounded one of the Perverted Trio one too many times. The nurse just sighed and shook her head, having heard that excuse almost daily whenever a girl came in with bruised fists or sore arms from exerting so much force into pervert pummeling. Kallen knew she couldn't very well say she hurt herself just punching one boy's face out of reflex. Granted, it was believable since the whole school knew how much punishment the trio could take.

Still, Kallen didn't tell since something about it was bothering her. It felt like she had punched bricks instead of Mike's face and although punching someone could hurt (experienced from bashing the Trio once or twice) it shouldn't hurt _that_ much. Something was up with her newest club member. He was usually nice enough, but it just seemed like there was this wall between him and the others. Granted, she'd only known the guy for a little over a week and it might be nothing, but it still stuck out in her head. She was the suspicious type by nature so unless she saw proof otherwise, she just felt like something was up.

Well, nothing else to do but investigate, right?

Standing up from the stool, she walked to the window to see the students milling around down on the ground. Looking around, she spotted Mike walking for the front gate. If he was by himself she wouldn't have been able to peg him. Not from the second floor with his back turned. But thankfully, seeing the rather unique hair color of Yura Tsubasa next to him more the confirmed it for her.

"I think I'm feeling a little better," Kallen announced to the nurse as she turned to leave the room. "I'm going to head home now."

"Okay," the school's nurse called back from her desk. "Put more ice on that hand once you do. We don't need it to swell up worse than it is."

"I will," Kallen agreed before she left the room. Once the door was closed, she took off running to try and get outside and follow Mike before he got too far ahead.

* * *

"Nice work today," Yura praised as she and Mike walked down the streets. She insisted on going to visit his place for the evening which Mike had to qualms against even if he didn't have anything special planned that night. "Have fun with the whole Japanese Sports Day experience?"

"I did have fun," Mike grinned. "It was nice to just do something fun and out of the ordinary that didn't involve magic or other stuff."

"And, you got a hell of a panty shot," Yura grinned teasingly. "A shame it wasn't me though."

Mike choked on his breath, turning bright red before sighing, "Can we _please_ stop talking about that? It was bad enough when the Perverts Three came asking me what it was like to 'get such an ECU of Paradise' and even asking for details about Kallen's panties."

"Which got them beaten up again," Yura laughed. "Oh come on, it was funny in hindsight, wasn't it?"

"It would be funnier if it happened to Issei instead of me," Mike groaned. He was the decent guy so why did so many pervy things start happening to him? Was it his dual relationship or was it just something that happened to everyone in Kuoh at one point or another?

"Anyway," Yura laughed before hugging Mike's arm. "So what's on the agenda tonight for us? A nice dinner? Cozying up on the couch maybe?"

"I'd say sure, if you don't mind my four other roommates making pests of themselves," Mike shrugged. "Mittelt and Kalawarner will probably tease us a lot. Cornelia may want to talk business and Villetta…well, who knows what she's thinking sometimes."

"What's best for you no doubt," Yura grinned, "Even if it means collecting a harem of adoring women for you."

Mike rolled his eyes as his girlfriend laughed, "Okay, that joke has long since gotten old. Can we all just move on?"

"When it stops being funny for me," Yura grinned.

Mike rolled his eyes, feeling that this was going to be Yura's teasing fodder for some time to come. As the light in the sky died out while clouds were rolling in, Mike decided to change the subject, "Looks like rain's coming in. We'd better hoof it if we don't want to get soaked by it."

"You won't hear me argue," the bluenette agreed.

The sped up their walking, not wanting to be caught in the rain. Turning down another street, Mike was about to try and talk some more when a huge blip of magic appeared in his personal radar. It was big enough to give him pause as he stopped walking. Yura stopped with him, looking confused, "Mike? What is it?"

"Something magic just came to my senses," Mike reported, his eyes narrowing slightly, "Something powerful, really powerful and…" he closed his eyes to concentrate. He could sense the magic and it had a kind of feel to it, a familiar one. It reminded him of the Fallen Angels' attacks, but without the feeling of taint or intensity to it. It was a very powerful holy source of magic coming their way, "You need to move. Whatever it is, it's holy. Very holy. That means it's a huge risk to you."

"Crap. So much for our night in," Yura frowned. "Which way?"

"It's a good distance still but," Mike began, but his eyes widened when the source on is senses flared before starting going at high speed right at them! "It's coming now! Move!"

"YEEEEHAAAAAW!"

Mike grabbed Yura around the waist and they leaped back as the source of holy magic came right down at them, smashing into the road. Both Campione and Devil came to a stop and looked to see what was happening. In front of them stood a man who was garbed in white clothes with a long black coat. It made him look somewhat like a priest, fitting considering the power that Mike had felt coming from him. He had silver hair which hung down to his jaw and his face, it was twisted in a clearly insane grin with enough malice to suit a serial killer in his eyes. What was in his hand though was what really brought Mike's attention. He was holding a sword, a rather oddly shaped one which had a curve to it, but it had extra spines on it and even a diamond-shaped hole in the middle of it. Despite the odd design, the sword itself was the source of the powerful holy energy Mike had been sensing.

"Well shoot, I missed," the priest laughed standing up. "And here I was going to be nice by giving you shitty Devils a quick death. Ah well," his grin turned wider as he laughed. "May as well do things the old fashioned way! Slow and agonizing it is!"

"Like hell you are!" Mike growled, summoning his Authority. " _Deep within the earth, my reign grows onward. My wealth swells, my treasures increase, all for the prosperity of my kingdom. The vaults are locked to all but me and now I shall open the doors and bask in the radiant glow!_ " The street cracked before a gold sword emerged from the ground, allowing Mike to catch it before he pointed it at the clearly psychopathic priest.

"Ooooooh!" the man admired, "So _you're_ the godslayer who shacked up in this town eh? Well, I think a proper introduction is in order then," he stood straight waving his sword in the air, "The name's Sellzan, Freed Sellzan. Shitty Devil Killer Exorcist extraordinaire!

"Freed…" Mike frowned, but then perked as he recalled the name, "Wait, you're the priest that Issei and the others fought at the church when we rescued Asia!"

"Ah, I'm famous eh? Even godslayers have heard me!" Freed laughed, spinning on the spot. "Yep! That's me! I was so looking forward to seeing you fight Siegfried, but all those Shitty Devils got in the way so I had to vamoose before my goose got cooked! Missed the whole thing. It was _such_ a disappointment."

"So what brings you back? Touring? Seeing the sights? Wanting some payback?" Mike frowned.

"Ah, it's like you're reading my mind!" Freed laughed. "That's exactly it! I'd thought I'd see some new sights, hang out at some old haunts, and then maybe go to that little school and kill a bunch of Devils like that little slut you've got hanging around you!"

Mike snarled as Yura growled behind him. He lifted his sword higher, preparing to fight, "You're asking for a divine-class ass-kicking talking like my girl about that!"

Freed grinned, licking his lips as he gripped his sword again, "Oh, I like that face. Filled with hate and bloodlust. Well, I can't just sit here after seeing that. LET'S GET IT ON!" With a crazed laugh, Freed lunged at Mike with his twisted sword raised. Mike likewise charged back, slashing his golden blade down. Both weapons clashed with a shower of sparks. They didn't rest as they continued slashing, making blasts of sparks wherever the blades met. Above them, thunder rumbled as the rain started to fall. Still the two fought, sparks lighting up the street as they clashed. Mike already hated the guy for how he abused Asia and helped Raynare hurt her, not to mention calling Yura a slut, but the man would just not shut up!

"Ooooh! Nice one! Great face! You look like you really wanna kill me! Oh! Close! Hyah! Come on, stop trying to hit me and hit me! Ah ha ha ha ha!"

"Shut! UP!" Mike bellowed, slamming his sword horizontally across Freed's causing the biggest blast of sparks yet, causing the priest to skid back on the slick road.

"Ha! Now we're getting somewhere!" Freed laughed, his tongue hanging out. "You know, I really can't help but admire you godslayers. Ever since I joined up with the church all they'd yak about is 'God is almighty' or 'Pagan Heretic Gods cannot be stopped.' It was annoying. Then you godslayers come out of the woodwork and really cut them down. It's awesome! I can't even imagine the thrill from killing something unkillable!" Freed broke out in crazed laughed, making Mike grimace. "Maybe when I'm done here I'll take my Excalibur Rapidly here and try my luck with a Heretic God. Think I've got a shot?"

"Wait," Mike frowned, "Excalibur…Rapidly?"

"Ah, only one of the coolest swords ever! I just have to scratch Devils with it and they go down in agony! It's awesome!" Freed laughed, waving the blade around. "And best of all, I get some cool powers when I use it. Wanna see? Okay, here I go!" The sword suddenly lit up with golden light, the kind Mike was definitely sure he'd heard of in all the bible stories he'd picked up over the years. Seeing it in Freed's hands made more disturbing than inspiring. The priest let off a cackle before he…vanished?

"What?!" Mike gasped.

"SWEETIE!" Yura yelled.

"TAKE THIS!" Freed laughed from behind Mike.

Mike began to turn, but then a hot slice cut down his back, causing him to shout in pain. He stumbled around, seeing Freed cackling like a loon with blood dripping down his sword. Mike reached and felt the wound on his back. It wasn't deep, but it was enough to draw blood. That alone proved the sword's sharpness was damn strong, if nothing else. Still, it wasn't a lethal blow.

"Well damn!" Freed laughed. "I managed to wound a godslayer! How about that? I was kind of aiming to cut you in half, but I guess you guys are tougher nuts to crack after all." He chuckled and allowed the sword to begin shining again, "Oh well, you know what they say. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!" With that, he vanished again, moving too quickly for Mike to see.

"Not this time!" Mike grunted, snapping his fingers. Multiple gold spears shot up from the ground in a protective wall. A second later, they clanged and bent from the force Freed swung at with his weapon. He appeared for a split second, scowled, and then drew his sword back before it glowed yet again and he vanished. Mike summoned more spears, hearing them clang from behind as Freed tried to strike once again. Mike knew he couldn't stay still, beginning to move, to try and find some sign where Freed was attacking from. He summoned more spears, hearing them clang and watched them bend as Freed appeared for a moment to free his weapon from the bent gold before dashing off again at high speeds.

"Explains why he called it Excalibur Rapidly," Mike frowned. "The thing's letting him run around at high speeds."

More spears clanged and bent, showing Freed tried another strike. Mike watched it happen and he grinned. He didn't need to activate **Heart of Wisdom** to be able to tell that Freed was moving too fast for his reflexes to keep up. He was already committed to swinging at Mike by the time the spears came up so there was no way to stop until the blade stopped ad he could start moving again. Freed obviously hadn't spent much time training with the blade and instead just was given it and decided to go on a rampage.

Still, he could work with this.

Gripping his fists, Mike created a perfect circle of spears around him. Ones placed close enough that Freed wouldn't be able to slip through or stab him from a short distance. If the guy was as eager for a kill as he thought, and if he wasn't using scare tactics by attacking the spears first, his next move would be obvious. There was one way past them and given enough time Freed would use it and…

"DEATH FROM ABOVE!"

Mike looked up as Freed began coming down from above with his sword ready to slice him in two, glowing brightly with the magic it possessed.

"Got you!" Mike grinned, lifting his hands up.

"Sweetie! No!" Yura screamed.

Mike moved and timed the attack right, reaching up and…

*THWAP!*

…catching the blade of Excalibur Rapidly as it came down on him.

"HUH?!" Freed cried as he landed, sword still caught by Mike. "Hey! No fair! I was about to cut you!"

"Yeah, too bad," Mike grinned, wrapping his hands around the blade, using the diamond hole as a spot to grip it. Blood dripped from his palms, meaning he'd been cut by his bonehead move. "No more running around for you."

"Oh kiss my ass!" Freed growled, getting the blade to begin to glow, but after a moment, the glow didn't spread to where Mike was holding the sword and soon it died down, "HUH?!"

"Didn't you know? We Campione are pretty much immune to magic. Spells fizzle when they touch our skin and if we hold magic relics, they tend to stop working so long as we hold them. Hold them long enough, and the magic may just never work again."

"You asshole! Let my sword go!" Freed demanded, struggling to pull the sword away from Mike's grasp.

"No," Mike grinned, his aura flaring again, " _My_ sword now!" The ground rumbled and a marble pillar broke out, colliding with Freed's chest and knocking him away with a cry of pain. In the surprise, his hands weren't tight on Excalibur Rapidly, forcing him to let go as he was flung back, crashing through the wall of spears. Mike grinned as he watched Freed hit the ground. He then looked to the sword and twisting it around, holding the handle as he held it up.

"Agh! Oh you bastard! I'm going to kill you!" Freed snarled, pulling out what looked like a hilt which suddenly burst with light as a sword made of it extended from the handle.

"You know, now I'm curious. Normally there'd be no way I'd be able to use this sword on account of my body, but right now I have a way around it," Mike ignored Freed, giving the blade a few test swings. Despite the weird shape, it actually felt quite light and easy to use. "Normally a Campione's skin can't be affected by magic, but get a spell into our mouths or noses and we'll still be affected, albeit to a reduced effect. And this sword, I think it's the kind which the effect you get is by how much magic power you put into it, right? Well, right now my hands are cut open, making an easy way for the sword's power to affect me."

"Bah! Bullshit! Not just anyone can wield that sword! You have to be born to wield it!" Freed laughed. "No way a shitty guy like you can do it!"

"Excalibur is the sword of kings, remember?" Mike grinned. "I'm a king too."

Mike lifted the sword and prepared to use the weapon. He knew a bit of Excalibur, but everyone did. He also knew that to wield Excalibur was to make an oath and he doubted Freed made one. So to use it like he did, you just had to have an overabundance of something the sword looked for in a wielder. But for anyone to use it, they had to prove they were willing to follow what the sword was made to do. That's how the legends went, the wielder having to prove they were worthy of it, not born to wield it. It was a wild guess and likely wouldn't work, but Mike had a gut feeling that using Excalibur wasn't as difficult as the church liked to believe, not when they believed in what Excalibur stood for. So, Mike made his oath, " _By the sword of the King of Knights, King Arthur, I hereby pledge fairness to all within my kingdom, to protect the weak who plead for my help in their struggles, and to vanquish evil wherever it may rise up within my borders! With this sword Excalibur, I will become a King of Truth and Justice!_ "

The sword reacted instantly, the metal flaring with a light not even Freed managed to bring out of it. Yura winced at it, backing away while Freed gaped openly. Mike winced as he felt the power seep into his body through his hands, making for quite the sting, but the magic was taking effect.

"What the fuck is this shit?!" Freed gaped, backing up against a wall.

"I'll tell you," Mike frowned, lifting the weapon higher. " _EXCALIBUR…RAPIDLY!_ "

In less time than it took to blink, Mike was gone from where he was and instead was standing in front of Freed, the sword lowered. Freed blinked, but then began to grin and lift his own blade. Mike didn't seem nervous and suddenly he began to grin. In the next moment, the street gave a horrendous roar as it seemed to explode in close footsteps leading up to Mike's feet, concrete and asphalt launching in all directions, making Yura and Freed yelp in surprise. Once the steps reached Mike, the wall behind freed promptly fell over, sliced cleanly, like a hot knife through butter.

"I think I put too much into it," Mike observed. "I went so fast it took everything a moment to catch up with me. Didn't think that was possible."

"Huh?" Freed blinked.

"Might have to tone it down next time," Mike grinned before he pointed his weapon at Freed. "Now you ought to be catching up to it too."

"Why you-!" Freed scowled, but then gagged as his chest sprayed out a blast of blood in a diagonal line, one which was opposite the angle the wall was cut at. "GACK!"

"I actually slashed twice," Mike confessed as Freed dropped to his knees, gasping in pain. "One was the wall to bleed off the extra power from the strike. The second was weak in comparison, just enough to put a shitty priest like you down. I may kill gods, but they don't really die. Killing people is a little more permanent, and you have information I might want."

"Gah! Fuck…you!" Freed gagged.

"I've got a girlfriend for that," Mike retorted. "Now do I have to stab you a few times or are you going to come quietly?"

"How about…neither!" Freed gasped before something dropped from his sleeve and he threw it at Mike's face, causing it to explode in a flash. It caused both he and Yura to wince and lose their sight for a few moments. After that, their sight returned, but Freed was gone save for some blood pooled in front of the destroyed wall.

"Dammit," Mike grunted, wiping his eyes. "Slippery bastard. Didn't even consider he had an escape route."

"Sweetie, are you okay?" asked Yura, jogging up to his side, wincing as she came closer to the light the sword was giving off, now a dim but secure glow.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just a little cut up," Mike nodded, cutting off his magic power from the sword, letting it die down completely. "Come on. I need to get patched up and we need to let Sona and Rias know what happened. If Freed's back then he's declaring open season on all Devils."

"Right," Yura agreed. Her disappointment over their not staying in vanished as the seriousness of the situation hit them. "I can't believe he had one of the Excaliburs though. The church has them all locked down tight!"

"Which means this is bigger than Freed and may mean something more," Mike nodded. "Let's go. I need to get to Cornelia and Villetta."

"Right," Yura nodded before the two of them took off running down the street.

Behind them, around a corner and pressed up against the wall was another Kuoh student. Her red hair hung down from the rain and her top was see through thanks to the rain, but she stayed pressed against the wall. Her eyes were widened in shock and fear of what she witnessed, not to mention the impossibility of some of it. She didn't dare move, didn't dare breathe as it went down while she watched. Even when it ended, she was still unsure if it was safe to move. Still, one thought was able to pierce all the fear and confusion.

' _What the hell was that?!_ '

 **To Be Continued…**


	10. Players Cast

**I do not own Campione, High School DxD, or the elements of Code Geass that I chose to incorporate into this story. I am only writing this for fun and not for any sort of profit. If you do not like this story then you are free to leave it and find something more to your tastes. For those you that remain, I hope you continue to enjoy and support the story.**

 **God Slayer DxD**

 **By Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Chapter 10: Players Cast**

Mike and Yura ran through the rain back towards his apartment. They had just managed to drive of the psychotic exorcist Freed Sellzan who had come hunting for Devils with a sword he called Excalibur Rapidly. During the struggle Mike managed to steal the sword and use it, unleashing holy power which allowed him to move so fast the world needed a moment to catch up to him. It was enough to send Freed running, but after he was gone Mike knew that they had to get a word of warning to Rias and Sona or else Freed could very well kill them or their Peerages with his sneak attacks.

They got to the building and went straight up to Mike's apartment. He didn't even bother announcing his arrival as he pushed open the door with a loud slam. It was enough to pull Kalawarner and Mittelt from their soap operas, Cornelia from her paperwork at the kitchen table, and Villetta from her work in the kitchen itself. All eyes turned to Mike and Yura, at first making the Fallen blink before snickering. No doubt they had some kind of teasing innuendo on the tips of their tongues which Villetta would no doubt want to see put into practice. Mike was in no mood for jokes and merely lifted up the sword in his hand.

"We, have a very serious problem," he announced, causing any comments to die on the women's lips.

"Holy shit! Is that an Excalibur?!" Mittelt cried out as her jaw dropped.

"Excalibur Rapidly. And guess where I got it," Mike huffed as he and Yura entered the room. "Our old pal Freed Sellzan who came back into town."

"Oh not him again!" Kalawarner groaned. "That psycho? I thought you guys killed him."

"No, he ran off when he saw that he was losing," Villetta frowned. "It seems he's decided to get some payback then."

"What I want to know is how he got an Excalibur," Yura spoke up, frowning as she followed Mike into the apartment. "As far as I knew, all the Excaliburs were locked up in church vaults and such."

"Which means he's got allies," Cornelia frowned, her paperwork forgotten. "Those vaults are some of the most well-protected in the world. If someone was able to lift something from them, it wasn't by themselves. One would need a team to get through the technology and magic the church put into constructing those vaults."

"We thought so too," Mike nodded, setting the slightly bloody sword down on the table. "Villetta, go to the Whitengamont and starting lighting fires for me. I want to know exactly how Excalibur Rapidly got from a vault in Europe to here in Japan. I don't care if you have to prod the Pope. We _need_ to know what the hell is going on."

"Yes Lord Summers," Villetta nodded and left her half-assembled dish to get her means of contacting her superiors back in England.

"Cornelia," Mike turned to his second knight, causing her to sit straight. "Is there anyone in or connected to your family who can give us some solid and useful information on Excalibur? Like, why it seems there's more than one and all that?"

Cornelia nodded, "There is one. My half-sister Marybell mel Britannia. She's an expert in magical artefacts, weapon-based ones to be specific. I doubt you'd find anyone even inside the church who knows as much about the Excaliburs as she does."

"Good. Get me in contact with her somehow and we can talk," Mike nodded. "We've got to do this fast. If Freed got his hands on one Excalibur then he's probably got access to more of them."

"Yes sir!" Cornelia nodded, standing up and heading to get into contact with her half-sister.

"What about me Sweetie?" asked Yura.

"You get in contact with Sona and tell her the situation. Have her tell Rias and make it quick!"

"Right!" Yura pulled out her cell phone and began making her call.

"And us?" asked Kalawarner.

"Get in contact with Azazel and tell him what happened," Mike answered. "If Freed's part of this, then there's a chance that this could be another of Kokabiel's little schemes to collect resources for his desired conflict."

"Shit, so much for an easy night," Kalawarner huffed. "And here I was going to try and seduce you tonight."

"Don't get cute," Mike huffed. "Just do it."

Mike went to his room and got changed, taking a moment to check the wounds on his back and hands. They had already stopped bleeding and were healing nicely. Fortunately being cut by Excalibur Rapidly didn't seem to hinder his healing abilities at any rate. He'd sting like hell for a while, but he was going to heal nicely at any rate. Swapping out his clothes, he returned to the living room and sat down while his friends went to their various means of contacting who he wished to hear from. After a few moments, Yura finished first before she sat down next to Mike, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Kaichou's been warned. She'll spread the word to Rias and her Peerage," the bluenette reported. "She said to thank you for your diligence."

"Not like I could keep her in the dark," Mike shrugged. "You okay?"

"It's been a long day," Yura sighed. "Instead of getting lucky I'm as nervous as hell."

"Yeah," Mike nodded. "How about you take a shower or something to calm down? You need to get out of those wet clothes anyway. I'll see if one of the ladies has anything you can wear."

"Thanks. I'll do that," Yura nodded before getting up again. Before she left, she leaned over and gave Mike a kiss, "I'm glad you're okay. When I saw Freed cut you on the back, I was scared he'd really hurt you."

"I was worried myself, but I knew wounded or not I had to take him down or else he'd go after you next," Mike sighed, resting his forehead against hers. "I couldn't let that happen."

"Mm, my man," Yura smiled before she stood up. "You're one in a million, and I don't mean because you're a Campione." With a smile, she walked for the bathroom, a bit of a sway in her hips as she did so.

Mike watched her go before he got settled in again. After a few more moments, Mittelt and Kalawarner returned. They reported that Azazel thanked him for the heads up, but he already knew about the theft of the Excaliburs although now he had a reason to truly suspect Kokabiel if flunkies from his previous stunt showed up in the latest mess. It still got Azazel up to date on the situation and in case they needed backup, he'd be in the position to give it. Villetta finished next, reporting that although the church tried to hide it, three Excaliburs were stolen from various church vaults. That in itself meant that Freed and whoever he was working with still had two Excaliburs to work with even if Mike stole Excalibur Rapidly back. Considering the power behind the swords, that was still bad news. Fortunately, the church had dispatched two agents to try and recover them, although hopes were not high. The church wasn't exactly willing to come forward with their suspicions of who had done the crime or how. Something about not enough evidence or the like. To Mike, they were covering it up to keep a panic from erupting.

Finally Cornelia returned with her iPad tablet. She came to the living room and sat down in front of Mike, "I've managed to get in contact with Marybell. She'll offer as much as she can considering the seriousness of the situation."

"Right," Mike nodded. "Let's do this."

Cornelia nodded and looked to her tablet, "Lord Summers is ready for you Marybell." She turned the tablet around and set it on the table in front of Mike, angling it so that he could view it properly without having to move. Depicted on the screen was a young woman, younger than Cornelia, but perhaps a little older than Mike. She had pale red hair tied into a ponytail with bangs hanging to her chest which had curls on the tips. Her fringe was curled, partially covering her forehead. She had violet eyes of all colors and she was quite cute, almost in a fairy-like way. She also wore a red business suit, but it didn't take away from the fairy appearance she somehow held.

" _Greetings Lord Campione,_ " Marybell greeted politely with a bow of her head. " _I am Marybell mel Britanna. How may I be of service to you?_ "

"We have a situation here and it involves the Excaliburs," Mike replied. Standing up, he retrieved Excalibur Rapidly before sitting back down to present it for Marybell's viewing. "I assume you recognize this?"

" _Yes, indeed I do!_ " Marybell gasped. " _That is Excalibur Rapidly! How on earth did you get it?_ "

"A rogue exorcist attacked me with it and I managed to take it from him," Mike replied. "But recent information tells me he has two more swords to use. So I need to know everything I can about the Excaliburs. History, abilities, how many there are, everything. Can you supply that?"

" _I can and I will Lord Eighth!_ " Marybell nodded.

"Good. Then let's start with the obvious. Are these related to the sword King Arthur used?" Mike asked.

" _No,_ " Marybell shook her head. " _You see, King Arthur never existed so these swords are not related to what you think is Excalibur. The story begins during the Roman Empire when the Romans were withdrawing from the lands which would eventually become Wales. There was a leader of a band of Roman soldiers named Artorius. When the Romans began to withdraw from Wales, they were left to fend for themselves. From my research, Artorius came into contact with a band of barbarians who were being attacked by an even worse group, Saxons who were being aided by the Devils. Seeing what the Devils intended, Artorius swore to defend the lands not just for the Empire, but for all that was good and just. Hearing this, a divine figure who I theorize was a female Archangel, granted him a sword forged by the arts of Paradiso, but made for mortals. It was named after the blade of a mighty Pagan God whose appearance meant the end of the world as it was known._ "

"It was named Excalibur," Mike nodded.

" _Exactly,_ " Marybell nodded. " _I believe it was a mix of the mythology surrounding this Pagan God and Artorius' own exploits which created the myth of King Arthur as we know now_." Marybell straightened herself and continued. " _And so Artorius and his line used Excalibur to fight for Paradiso and in the Great War between the Three Factions. However, while an incredibly holy and powerful sword, it was still a mortal's weapon and as all weapons eventually do, they break._ "

"So where do these multiple Excaliburs come in?" asked Mike.

" _Well, you see the church attempted to repair Excalibur since the destruction of such a holy weapon would indeed be a blow to their morale and forces. Sadly, even the most skilled blacksmiths or wisest alchemists were not able to recreate the process Paradiso used to forge the mighty blade. That method has been lost. However, the church was able to take the shards and re-forge them into seven brand new swords, each bearing the name Excalibur as well as what power they received from the original._ "

"Okay, so Excalibur Rapidly goes with the power to speed me up to phenomenal levels," Mike nodded. "What do the others do?"

" _The first is Excalibur Destruction which has the power to destroy anything it strikes with very little exception,_ " Mary bell answered. " _Then there is Excalibur Mimic. That sword is able to change its forms, usually to other weapons to aid the wielder. It is the most flexible of the blades. The third is Excalibur Nightmare, one which allows the wielder to cast illusions. Fourth is Excalibur Transparency, granting the power of invisibility. The fifth is Excalibur Blessing, which holds more holy power than the others and is used as a point of power in holy rites. The last was lost in the Great War, but my research shows it was named Excalibur Ruler and allowed the user to command weaker-willed individuals._ "

"Okay," Mike nodded. "So we have Rapidly and Ruler is lost. That still leaves five swords at large and we know Freed's got two more to choose from." He looked to Villetta, "Is there any information to tell us which swords were stolen?"

His first knight shook her head, "The church has been going to great lengths to prevent people from knowing the theft even happened. There is little information I could get beyond that it happened."

"Fine," Mike grunted. So much for that. "Ms. Britannia, the one I fought was under the impression that you had to be born capable of using an Excalibur, otherwise it wouldn't work. I managed it though."

" _You did?!_ " Marybell gasped, but then began to smile. " _I knew it! I knew the church was wrong!_ "

"What?" Mike blinked.

" _Oh, forgive me,_ " Marybell remembered herself with a blush. Coughing daintily, she explained. " _For years now, holy swords were believed to only be able to be used by select individuals who were born worthy of using their powers. Although what this capability is hasn't been clearly defined. I have often theorized considering the history of these swords that one is not simply born to use them, but must prove themselves worthy of using them. However, the church has yet to accept my reasoning, preferring their own method. Apparently they believe that if someone is born capable of using the swords, they must be righteous and it confirms their faith in some way._ "

"If Freed can use them, I don't think that logic holds true," Mike frowned. "The man was a murderous lunatic."

" _True,_ " Marybell nodded. " _My theory is based on how Excalibur was passed down through Artorius' line many times before it was shattered. Artorius' son being born capable and maybe his grandson I can understand, but this was generations of wielders all descended from the same man. If this ability to use the sword is an inborn ability, then how can so many keep using it despite the line being changed with each infusion of new blood with the marriages and subsequent births of the next generation? It would eventually dilute the ability to wield the swords yet each member of the line proves very capable._ "

"So…" Mike frowned in thought. "Your theory is that it wasn't Artorius' genetics which allowed his descendants to wield Excalibur, but his teachings which they followed that allowed them to bring out the full power of the sword."

" _Yes! That's it!_ " Marybell nodded. " _After all, more modern users proved to have no relation to Artorious' line and have more in common with his recorded mannerisms or teachings. So I believe it's their capacity to be heroic or kings rather than any kind of genetic power which allows them to wield the swords. Genetics or the 'inborn' ability the church looks for is more an inborn ability to forcibly draw out a portion of the sword's power rather than truly access it._ "

"I had no clue how to access the power of the sword so I attempted by swearing an oath to be a just king," Mike agreed. "When I did, I was able to do something way more powerful with the sword than Freed had managed to do with me. I moved so fast the world needed a few moments to catch up. Freed only moved fast enough I couldn't see him coming."

" _I knew it! Your capacity for kingship mixed with your sworn oath was enough to draw out the true power of Excalibur Rapidly!_ " Marybell seemed to bounce in her seat. " _Oh finally! Solid proof! I only wish I had found proof sooner so then the Holy Sword Project would never have happened!_ "

"Holy Sword Project?" asked Mike, not liking the sound in Marybell's voice.

" _Yes. A despicable project the church sponsored,_ " Marybell sighed. " _You see, the church needed more holy sword users since natural born ones were so rare. So an archbishop and arcane scientist Valper Galilei headed a project for a means of creating holy sword users instead of waiting for them to be born. He was trusted to do good in God's name, but what he did instead…_ "

"What happened?" Mike frowned.

" _Valper took in numerous orphans who were in the care of the church and committed terrible experiments on them. Painful, scarring, and then eventually lethal experiments,_ " Marybell bit her lip. " _He first tried to identify what made a person worthy for a holy sword and then tried and transplant it into others, or amplify what worthiness they had. All he ended up with were numerous corpses. When the church found out what his experiments were doing, they moved to eliminate him, but he killed the remaining orphans to silence them about his failures and fled, becoming excommunicated for his crimes._ " Marybell's face turned murderous. " _And then the church had the audacious hypocrisy to use Valper's research to extract a substance from the semi-worthy and implant it in their agents! Children died for that lunatic's experiments and the church took advantage of it anyway!_ "

Mike's face turned into a deep scowl. How could the church, supposedly a beacon of what was good, allow such horrors to happen and then use the end result as if nothing happened? Then again, how many times in history had the church committed horrible acts and then claimed because they did it in the name of God it made them right? How many times had he church caused immense pain and torture for their own gain? The Inquisition was a damn good example of that. Holy men using the accusation of witches to strip people of their property, wealthy people, and then claiming it for themselves out of some divine reward? Hell, there were even those in the modern day who would steal money for themselves which was donated in good faith to help others. Some even did harm to innocent children for their sick pleasures and then hid behind their cloth expecting to be protected. Considering what they even did to Asia when she unknowingly healed a Devil, it seemed at least the supernatural portion of the church were hypocrites.

"We can take it up with the church later," Mike sighed. "Did they catch Valper?"

" _He knows how the church operates too well. He managed to dodge the agents after him and is at large,_ " Marybell replied, shaking her head.

' _Typical,_ ' Mike thought bitterly. "Enough about that. Aside from their obvious power, is there anything which may be done if a number of Excaliburs are brought together, like a reaction of the pieces bringing a power of the true Excalibur?"

" _Not to my knowledge,_ " Marybell shook her head. " _Whoever stole them likely only intend to use them as weapons. Despite being holy swords, they're very effective on humans even though they were meant for Devils._ "

"No doubt," Mike agreed. Swords were first made to kill people after all. "Worst comes to worst, the swords are breakable, not given some cheap charm which keeps them from breaking, yes?"

" _Oh yes. But the innate power of the swords makes it harder to do that and there are certain charms and such which can make it even harder,_ " Marybell confirmed. " _For one such as you though, I don't think that will be an issue._ "

"Good," Mike nodded. At least he wouldn't have any issues destroying the damn swords if he had to. If the church wanted to get in a huff about it, he could point out if they were willing to allow children to die just to wield weapons then they could bite him for all he cared. It wasn't like they could do anything about it. "Okay, I think that's all I can ask for now. If anything else comes up within your realm of expertise then I'll call you again. Hopefully we can wrap this up without levelling the town."

" _I will help in any way I can,_ " Marybell nodded. " _Goodbye Lord Eighth._ "

The connection ended and the screen went blank. Mike sighed and leaned back on the couch, trying to get his thoughts together, "Okay, so an unknown group but likely disgraced exorcists have gotten their hands on some of the most powerful swords of all time. We stole back one, but they still have two left and we don't know which ones. We also don't know what they plan to do with them or why they decided to come here."

"Strategically, this would be a good place to strike with the heiresses of two powerful Devil Clans living here," Cornelia offered. "A valuable target of opportunity for those who'd wish to try and destroy the Devils. And if it is done with holy swords then many would assume that it was the church who organized such an attack."

Mike sat up and nodded, "Yeah. Rias especially since Sirzechs Lucifer is her older brother. A way to strike at the leaders of the Devils would be too tempting to pass up. It would definitely lead to the war starting over again. I'd bet my left nut that Kokabiel is somehow involved in this."

"Don't bet those. I haven't gotten to play with them yet." Mike turned and saw Yura approaching from the hallway. She was out of her wet clothes, wearing only one of his button-up shirts which hung on her frame and managed to cover the important bits. She left the collar undone and some of the buttons, leaving her cleavage to show. She also had her legs bared and with her current state of dress, made them seem like they were much longer than normal. Running a towel through her hair, she sat down on the couch next to Mike, not that he was staring, and looked to the others, "So what do we know?"

"The church lost three Excaliburs and we got one back," Mike answered. "Whoever took them may be targeting Rias and Sona because of their positions as heiresses and Rias' being Sirzech's little sister to try and restart the war. But that's just a theory."

"Crap," Yura hissed. "If that's the case then they'll go for Kaichou too. Her older sister is Serafall Leviathan, another of the Maous. With two of them going to Kuoh, these guys have a target too sweet to resist."

"Seriously? _Two_ of the Maous' sisters are here?" Mittelt gaped. "Fuck, we were screwed no matter what when we pulled our stunt, weren't we?"

"More or less," Villetta shrugged. "Still, this just makes the situation all the more delicate."

"Having the sisters of two Maou here? Indeed it's a perfect target," Cornelia frowned.

"Rias, Sona, and their Peerages can take care of themselves, but these are Excaliburs we're talking about here," Mike frowned. "One scratch and that's all these guys will need to get the kill shot."

"Yes. Holy swords are no joke, especially Excaliburs," Yura agreed. "So what do we do now?"

Mike rubbed the bridge of his nose as he thought about it. After a moment, he dropped his head with another of his increasingly frequent sighs, "Nothing we can do. We need to meet with Sona and Rias before we do anything else. Then we can coordinate our efforts. Aside from Freed, we don't know who or how many we're dealing with. We can do guesswork up the wazoo here, but it won't do us any good unless we can confirm it. So let's just get some rest and then get working in the morning. Likely our enemies aren't going to be doing much more tonight since they've lost one of the Excaliburs. With any luck, it will throw them off and buy us some time."

"If that's all we can do, I'm going to go to bed," Kalawarner yawned as she got up from her seat and headed for the bedrooms. "Maybe when I wake up this will all have been a bad dream."

"I wish," Mike grumbled. "Still, bed sounds like a good idea," he looked to Yura, "Can I offer you a ride home?"

Yura looked to Mike and grinned, "Oh no. After tonight I _know_ I'm spending the night with you. I live at the dorms anyway so there's no one waiting for me."

Mike blushed, but tried to keep his cool, "Um…okay. I guess one of the girls could let you bunk with her and…"

Yura's face turned to a frown, causing Mike to trail off. Now he was in trouble, but wasn't entirely sure why. He got his answer in her huff, "You're too gentlemanly for your own good. I'm sleeping with _you_ , Mike! Now, show me your bedroom and I'll show off the sexy underwear I was planning to surprise you with."

"Guh?" Mike blinked, hormones and common decency immediately going to war in only a few words.

"Down the hall. Third door on the right," Villetta supplied helpfully.

"Thanks!" Yura stood up and pulled Mike to his feet before heading in the direction Villetta pointed out. Mike could have resisted, perhaps in some ways he really should have. However, for all his wisdom from Solomon, his nobility from Siegfried, and his allies from Momotaro, he was in the end a teenage boy. He was about to see his girlfriend in her underwear, possibly less if he played his cards right and his hormones were getting him to go along. They reached his room and Yura yanked him inside before shutting the door. Privacy secured, she turned around and got Mike in a kiss, the two of them wrapping their arms around one another. Mike became painfully aware of how close he was to touching Yura's bare body with only his short in the way.

The broke the kiss and Yura grinned before gently pushing him backwards where he dropped to sit on the bed. Mike wanted to say something, but Yura's sexy smile and bedroom eyes were keeping it quiet. Settling in despite how uncomfortable his pants were, he let Yura take the lead. She ran her hands along the front of her body before she began undoing the buttons, giving teasing glimpses of her skin and something blue just barely hidden away. Once all the buttons were undone, she pushed the shirt open and let it fall from her shoulders. All she was left wearing was deep blue lace underwear which seemed so fitting for her. Her panties didn't show off her hips, but it was the concealment which made it better. Her athletic lifestyle definitely sowed as she had a perfectly narrow waist and was quite fit, but not skinny like many girls wanted to be. Her breasts were sizable, but not stacked like Rias or Akeno, but how many could compare to them?

"You like?" she asked, perhaps a bit of insecurity in her voice.

"Love is more the word I'd use," Mike grinned, but his eyes roamed over her body. Internally, he wondered if this was happening. "Sure you like the pace we seem to be going?"

"Yes," Yura nodded, nibbling her lip in a smile. "I'm a Devil, remember? When I want something, I go for it and I don't care who might disapprove." She approached Mike and slipped onto the bed, straddling his lap. "So let's…explore. I seem to be the only one without clothes."

"We can fix that," Mike replied, kissing Yura's lips as her hands trailed down his chest to his belt.

* * *

 **Kuoh - Streets**

Mike…was in a very good mood that morning.

One would be after sleeping with their girlfriend in a bit of a sexy/romantic buildup to it. Waking up next to a nearly naked Yura in his arms, making for a slow wakeup was a splendid way to start the day if one asked him. They didn't have sex though. Yura wasn't ready for that yet even if Mike did have experience. They did spend their night exploring and reaching several orgasms trying out just about everything else Yura was either curious or horny to try. As a teenage male with the average libido and divine-enhanced stamina, he was in the mood for just about anything. It was a rather satisfying night to be honest.

"So, you know your friends are going to interrogate you," Mike commented as he and Yura walked to school almost attached at the hip. Their hands were vacuum sealed together with their fingers intertwined. There was no mistaking them as a couple and from their small grins, and Yura's proverbial glow, they had gotten up to something very recently.

"Yeah. I know. But I don't care," Yura laughed. "I can just say we needed it after getting attacked last night and all that."

"Life reaffirming sexy time huh?" asked Mike.

"You bet," the bluenette agreed. "And we needed a good night after that and with how today's going to go."

"Yeah," Mike nodded, dreading the upcoming day. Strapped to his back was Excalibur Rapidly, wrapped up in a number of cloth strips to hide its appearance. Mike just didn't' want it to leave his sight considering the kinds of forces which might be after it. No matter of Kokabiel or someone else was behind the theft, one couldn't be weak or stupid if they wanted to break into three of the church's most well-protected vaults and walk out with the swords. While Villetta and Cornelia did put up some wards to help protect the apartment building, it wasn't exactly foolproof or unbreakable either. Not even with Mittelt and Kalawarner adding some of their arts in. So with some deliberation with his knights, it was decided that Excalibur Rapidly would likely be safer with him than anywhere else.

Mike knew that he was going to have to meet with Sona and Rias immediately. Freed was a certifiable lunatic and with a holy sword in his hands he was an incredibly dangerous one. More so than he already was. Also likely his new bosses were pretty powerful in themselves if they could actually get the Excaliburs for him to use. Forewarned was forearmed and the whole saying. They were going to need it for the upcoming fight.

The couple crossed the road, travelling by a community park, just enjoying each other's company when it happened.

"AMEN!"

In a burst of movement, a shape came out from the park, coming in fast and slashing at Mike and Yura with a sword. Mike's Campione instinct once again saved his neck as he moved almost before the attack began. Grabbing the concealed Excalibur Rapidly, he lifted it up and blocked the incoming attack with a loud clash of steel. The cloth tore from the strike, exposing some of the curved blade of Excalibur Rapidly. Releasing Yura's hand, Mike grit his teeth and pushed on the blade, pushing his attacker back through the air where they landed on their feet in the grass.

The attacker turned out to be a girl the same age as the pair of them. She wore a black bodysuit with buckles and belts on it with short pant legs and short sleeves. Her arms and legs were covered in gloves and boots made of the same material. The entire outfit as revealing of her body shape as it was, and did she have a hell of a shape, it was concealed partially by a white cape she wore. She had brown hair which was quite long and tied in two ponytails that trailed behind her and crystal blue eyes. She seemed almost…giddy? Excited about the fight she just picked. What was really getting his attention though was the katana she held in her hands. It was a powerful magical relic, giving off the same sense of intense holy magic that Excalibur Rapidly was giving off.

"And who would you be?" Mike asked with a frown.

"An agent of the lord bringing judgement down on you!" a new voice spoke. Turning, Mike watched another girl approach. She was dressed just like the brunette and if anything was more voluptuous than her comrade. She had blue hair like Yura which reached her chin. For some reason, there was a streak of green in the front, perhaps a personal style choice. She looked much more serious than her comrade, much more intense. More worrying though was the sword in her hands. It was styled like a broadsword or Zweihander with a hilt shaped like a chain and double-headed axe. What was more, the sword was also giving off the same holy intensity as Rapidly.

"So, you two had the others," Mike frowned. "The last Excaliburs."

"Yes!" the bluenette nodded. "The tools which you seek to destroy us with shall be the ones to destroy you!"

Mike snorted, but glanced to see that Yura was okay. She looked ready to jump in and as a Rook she'd definitely be able to handle them. But with three holy swords about to fight, one used by a Campione, he didn't want her nearby for the holy energy to hurt. A gesture of his hand got her to back down as he lifted up his sword and tore the shredded cloth away, revealing a perfectly polished Excalibur Rapidly to the air. The two girls tensed when they saw it, likely knowing what the sword was capable of. Mike prepared a stance, a respectable one, but not one he was used to since his golden swords were shorter, "Greater beings than you have tried."

"Perhaps, but we shall be the ones who will succeed!" the girl retorted before lunging with her sword.

Mike reacted quickly, raising Rapidly to block the strike with a flash of white sparks. The swords seemed to resonate with a metallic screech and a faint glow before Mike and the girl kicked away from one another. Far from deterred, the girl merely shouted, "Irina!"

"Right, Xenovia!" the brunette called out, charging for Mike again.

"Hn!" Mike frowned. On the street was no place for a fight. The community park would have enough space for the fight and be able to take the destruction which would probably come with it. Dodging the brunette, apparently known as Irina, he ran into the park with the two girls following. He kept away from the playground equipment and stuck to an open space near some trees. Coming to a stop, he turned to face the pair with Rapdily at the ready. The pair didn't disappoint as the brunette Irina charged, apparently the quickest of the pair. Mike reacted, trusting his battle instinct and what training he had to help him. Irina crashed against him, her blade sparking off his with the same screech with the blunette Xenovia. The screech began to grow as the blades scraped off one another in some kind of distress. The two kicked off, opening the way for Xenovia as she came barrelling in with her much larger sword. Mike managed to block the strike, but weakly, forcing him several steps back thanks to the angle of the strike.

"Tsk! So this is how Excaliburs fight?" Mike grimaced through the ringing from the swords.

"No. Let me show you how the true users of these holy swords fight!" Xenvoia grimaced before the sword she wielded began to glow with gold light. The shrieking from the swords grew more intense, forcing Mike to back off since it was killing his ears. "Behold the holy power of Excalibur Destruction!" She stabbed the sword into the ground, causing the ground around them to literally erupt. Mike cursed under his breath and leaped back as far as he could. With his enhanced strength of a Campione, that was quite a bit. Skidding across the grass, Mike's eyes narrowed at the amount of dust in the air. It was quick to clear, but what it revealed was a particularly wide and deep crater with Xenovia crouched in the centre, her sword still in the ground.

"Damn," Mike frowned. It definitely lived up to the name, but as far as he knew that was just scratching the surface.

"Don't forget the might of Excalibur Mimic!" came Irina's cheerier voice.

Mike turned only to see what looked like a blade moving like a ribbon at him. Cursing again, he dove out of the way as the blade struck the ground. Rolling to a stop, he got up in a crouch to see Irina with her sword, the blade returning the normal after being extended like a ribbon.

"Your struggles are pointless blasphemer," Xenovia spoke, stepping up out of the crater. "You cannot defeat us while we wield the magic of the Excaliburs while you do not."

"Yeah! So accept your divine punishment, okay?" Irina added with a grin.

Mike huffed, getting tired of the self-righteousness in their speech. Calming his breathing, Mike stood up and hefted Excalibur Rapidly over his shoulder, "The magic of the Excaliburs? You've barely scraped the surface of it. All you two are is strong enough to force the swords to give you just a bit of their magic. You're not even close to tapping into the true power of these swords. You just haven't proven yourselves worthy yet."

"Proven ourselves?! How rude!" Irina pouted. "We were chosen by God to wield the holy might of the swords and-!"

"You're not _born_ worthy!" Mike snapped. "And especially not after the Holy Sword Project! I really wonder if either of you truly are worthy or just falsies created by the church!" Mike's sharpened eye took note of how Irina flinched at the declaration, but Xenovia did not. So Irina was someone who benefited from the project while Xenovia was a natural? "The sword Excalibur is a sword meant to represent justice and valor! To protect what is good! You are not _born_ worthy of the sword! You must prove yourself!"

"Centuries of research from the church proves you wrong," Xenovia retorted, taking a stance.

"Oh? Then let me prove it," Mike grinned. Lifting Excalibur Rapidly, he used one of the spines to cut his palm before reciting his improvised oath. " _By the sword of the King of Knights, King Arthur, I hereby pledge fairness to all within my kingdom, to protect the weak who plead for my help in their struggles, and to vanquish evil wherever it may rise up within my borders! With this sword Excalibur, I will become a King of Truth and Justice!_ "

Like before against Freed, Rapidly seemed to shine like a blazing star with pure white light. Irina and Xenovia cringed, having to shield their eyes from the light lest they be blinded. Both were more than a little stunned, never having seen an Excalibur react in such a way. They had never been able to make their own swords react in such a way!

"Xenovia!" Irina gasped.

"What in God's name?!" Xenovia cringed.

Mike, unhindered by the light, drew back the sword he wielded, " _EXCALIBUR…RAPIDLY!_ "

Suddenly, the light blinked out and Mike was gone. The two girls blinked the glare from their eyes. Looking in front of them, they didn't see anything amiss aside from the damage they did. Irina frowned, "Where'd he go?"

"The cur must have run," Xenovia huffed. "Typical of the breed."

"No I didn't. You're just looking the wrong way." Both girls gasped and turned around, spotting Mike leaning against a tree with Excalibur Rapidly tapping against his thigh. The sword was giving off a rather pure and strong glow, the kind one might expect of a holy relic. "And you're a little slow. I've already won."

"Huh?" blinked the cheery girl.

"Don't insult-!" Xenovia hissed, preparing to attack…

*WHOOOM!*

The ground behind the pair suddenly _exploded_ as a long slash cut through the ground, explosive footprints running alongside it. The angle of the cut was enough that a wave of dirt and rock smashed into the backs of the duo, launching them into the air before they crashed to the ground, half-buried under the dirt. They cried in pain before it was silenced by the dirt shower. The girls were stunned, but they had enough of their senses to try and dig themselves out. Coughing and hacking, they got to their knees.

"D-Destruction!" Xenovia coughed. "M-My sword! I lost it in the explosion!"

"It's right here," Xenovia heard before she felt warm steel press against her throat. Blinking, Xenovia saw Mike pointing her own sword at her throat with a still-glowing Excalibur Rapidly pointed right between Irina's eyes. "Hi there."

"You…you!" Xenovia grit her teeth, deep sadness in her soul as she realized she had essentially failed her mission.

"You can cut us down if you want, but we will be martyrs for our cause!" Irina huffed, bravely looking up at Mike. "We won't be the last of our order!"

"Spare me the indignation," Mike sighed, glaring at the pair with his split attention. "Now spill. Where is Freed and his merry little crew hiding?"

Xenovia blinked, "Freed?"

"Yes," Mike frowned. "Freed Sellzan, the disgraced exorcist. The guy who had the third Excalibur you lot stole for whatever sick plan you have? Ringing any bells here?"

"Huh?" Irina blinked. "We're not working with Freed."

"What?" Mike sighed. "Like fun you're not. Three Excaliburs were stolen. I stole one from him and now here are two more with two girls who definitely can't be from the church if the way they dress is any indication. I mean, what kind of religious woman would dress in black leather which outlines their bodies so well?"

"Well excuse me! It's the standard outfit for agents of the church like us!" Irina blushed brightly.

"It seems…" Xenovia spoke up, although her cheeks were pink too. She slowly raised her hands to try and show either surrender or peace. "…that we have made a mistake. Since you have us at a disadvantage, would you please listen?"

"Speak and I'll hear you," Mike answered neutrally.

"Irina and I are not working with Freed or his cohorts. We are agents of the church, exorcists, dispatched by the church to track down and retrieve the stolen Excaliburs," Xenovia explained. "Due to how the enemy is armed with Excaliburs, we were granted the use of Excalibur Destruction and Mimic to aid us in the return of Rapidly, Nightmare, and Transparency."

Mike frowned at the explanation. It sounded plausible and he saw no signs of lying. Plus, he did know that the church did dispatch two agents to retrieve the stolen swords. Still, with how professional and cool Xenovia seemed to be, she might just be very good at lying. A disgraced exorcist on the lam would have to be very good at lying if they wanted to stay hidden and safe. Still, there were ways to try and ensure that they were telling the truth. Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted Yura keeping an eye on the battle. She'd be perfect to report while he kept the two girls where they were, "Yura, call Villetta and ask for the information about the stolen Excaliburs. I need their names!"

"Got it!" Mike's girlfriend nodded, quickly getting her phone and dialing up his knight's number. Mike had Villetta keep having the Whitengamont grill the Vatican for which of the Excaliburs were stolen. Using his name and making it clear he'd be pissed if he didn't get the information, it should have lit a big enough fire to get _someone_ to talk about it. He hoped someone spilled since he really needed the information now.

As Yura called, Mike turned his attention to the exorcists, "We'll see if you're telling the truth or not."

"Mnn!" Irina gulped, looking down the glowing blade in front of her.

After a few moments of Yura's low speech, she suddenly spoke up. She actually spoke with some cheer, likely trying to get on the duo's nerves or was just excited to see Mike fight and bring down two Excalibur users. "Sweetie! Villetta says that the stolen Excaliburs were Rapidly, Nightmare, and Transparency!"

Mike blinked and glanced over his shoulder, "And with Mimic and Destruction?"

"Um…" Yura rook another moment and checked her call. "Assigned to soldiers of the church to recover the others!"

"Huh…well damn," Mike lowered the swords. "Guess I owe you two an apology. I thought you were working with the thieves."

"And we thought the same of you since you had Excalibur Rapidly," Xenovia responded, standing up. Brushing her legs off, she looked to Mike, "May I have my sword back?"

"Right," Excalibur Destruction was passed to Xenovia's hands. "Again, I'm sorry."

"No, we are just as much to blame," Xenovia shook her head. "Let us call this an unfortunate accident since no one was hurt."

"Right," Mike nodded and glanced to where Irina was standing up, "Not hurt too badly I hope."

"Nah! I'm fine!" Irina grinned. It seemed that getting her butt kicked wasn't enough to bring down her good cheer. "But how'd you get Excalibur Rapidly to be so powerful? You don't seem to be the kind who'd the swords would find worthy."

"It's not about being born worthy," Mike shook his head. "It's about having the capacity to wield the swords as they were meant to be wielded. Excalibur was meant to be wielded in the name of honor, justice and the name of what is good and right. The 'natural' users as the church defines them merely have the potential to the path the swords were meant to take. What I did was swear an oath to follow the path of a just king who would be for his people. The sword responded to that and allowed me to tap into its true strength instead of just a portion of it like you two did."

"Interesting," Xenovia pondered. "I was not aware of this theory. The church was so adamant in how holy swords functioned. To think it was dedication to knightly values rather than birth…"

"What? I don't get it," Irina frowned. "Doesn't a holy sword require one to have God's favor to wield?"

"I think it depends more on the history of the sword's first user," Mike shrugged. "That defines the sword's personality. Steel awareness and all that."

"…interesting…" Xenovia pondered further. "And who are you to have such a capacity for kingship?"

Mike grinned, expecting a guilty little thrill he developed to be satisfied, "I'm already a king. My name is Michael Ichabod Summers, slayer of Heretic Gods Solomon, Siegfried, and Momotaro. The Eighth Campione."

Both girls blinked, but then their faces adopted the biggest expression of 'oh shit' that Mike had ever seen in his life. That guilty thrill of his felt particularly pleasing as he saw the two girls realize just who it was that they had so blatantly attacked. It seemed to stun them into stillness as their minds almost fried themselves wondering what they should do. After several moments of this, Mike was beginning to worry that the pair were suffering simultaneous heart attacks. After that moment, the pair of them threw themselves to their knees, bowing to the point that their heads were touching the ground, "FORGIVE US!"

"Woah…" Mike blinked. Okay, that was a little more severe than he anticipated…

"Forgive us your majesty!" Irina sat up, her hands clenched together and she had…teary stars in her eyes? She looked like she was crying in fear yet awed at the same time. Weird. "We had no idea it was you! Please forgive us!"

"Yes! We are only humble mortals and are prone to making foolish mistakes!" Xenovia agreed, likewise sitting up in the same position, but nowhere near as emotional as Irina. "Please forgive us for our ignorance! We would dare not attack one such as you knowingly!"

"Wow. Talk about mood swings," Yura commented as she approached now that the fighting was truly over. "I think I like this side though."

"Yeah…" Mike grinaced. Okay, he wanted to shock them, not terrify them! "Okay you two, you're forgiven. It was just an innocent mistake. Don't worry. We can move past it." His reassurances seemed to do the trick as the pair sighed in relief before standing up again. Seeing as they weren't about to have panic attacks, Mike decided to get some more answers. "Okay, since you two are in Kuoh and so is Freed, I assume that the stolen Excaliburs are all here?"

"Yes sire," Xenovia nodded. "Our contacts tracked them down here. Although…we can't get more information now since the contact we have in this city has been…eliminated."

"Freed's work no doubt," Mike frowned. The psycho seemed eager enough to kill anything he could. "Okay, so you've arrived looking for the swords. Then what is the first order of business?"

"Well, we were going to make contact with the Devils who govern the area and just let them know what's going on," Irina offered. "We really don't want to step on anyone's toes and we don't want them to get involved either. That could just make things messy. Besides, we're really not allowed to work with Devils. Not that we want to."

"Tsk!" Yura grimaced, but Mike glanced over to her and she held her tongue. No sense starting a fight just when they finished one.

"Okay. I was going to meet with them myself anyway so we can go together," Mike nodded. "Incidentally, would it be permissible for a Devil King like me to help you?"

"Actually, one of our objectives was to ask for your assistance since rumor said you lived in the area," Xenovia answered. "Hearing you have the wisdom and power of King Solomon has many in the church hoping to claim your favor somehow. Irina and I were granted full permission to give you whatever you wanted if you would help us reclaim the stolen Excaliburs and bring the thieves to justice."

"Yup! Even our virginities if you wanted them!" Irina added, blushing a little but still smiling. "We are a pair of hot girls after all!"

Mike groaned and dropped his head with a sweatdrop while Yura laughed, "Please don't mistake me for Godou-Aniki. I'm not like that."

"Villetta would love it though," Yura grinned. "Some contacts inside the secret sects of the church would be a huge bonus for you."

"Not like this!" Mike grit through his teeth. Standing up, he tried to be serious again. He would _not_ take advantage of the two no matter how much the offered or how little their suits left to the imagination! "Anyway, I'm meeting the Sitri and Gremory heiresses before school starts. You two can come with me and we can all get the details of the situation ironed out. Okay?"

"Yes sire!" both girls nodded.

* * *

 **Kuoh Academy**

The group made it to Kuoh with plenty of time to spare. Although Xenovia and Irina were getting looks, thankfully their cloaks concealed their bodies so a following of overly-hormonal boys wasn't going to be a problem. Their swords were concealed within various wrappings so no one went out of their way to stop them either. They went directly to the old school building where Rias and Sona were waiting. Coming to the meeting room, Mike opened the doors for his female companions. Stepping inside, he spied Sona and Rias both seated with their Peerages standing at their sides, obviously worried.

"Oh? And who would your two new friends be?" asked Rias.

"May I introduce Irina and Xenovia, the agents the church dispatched to reclaim the three Excaliburs stolen from the church," Mike introduced.

"What?!" the majority of the room gasped.

"It's true. Someone broke into the vaults held by the church and stole the Excaliburs Transparency, Nightmare, and Rapidly," Mike explained as he entered the room. He lifted the bundle on his back. "Fortunately I saved them the trouble and took back Rapidly already."

"Wow, they're hotties," Issei mumbled, already leering at the two since their cloaks parted while they lowered their hoods.

"Hi Issei-kun!" Irina waved to the perverted boy. "It's been years! I'm sad to see you've been turned into a Devil but I'll pray for your immortal soul when you're punished by God!"

"Uh? What?" Issei blinked, surprised that the brunette exorcist was talking to him like a friend. "Do I…know you?"

"Oh come on!" the girl pouted. "It's been a long time but you can't have forgotten me! We were neighbours and we played together all the time!"

"We did?" Issei blinked, but then after a moment of thought his eyes bulged, "What, you mean…? IRINA SHIDOU!"

"That's me!" Irina beamed.

"EHH?!" Issei gaped. "But! But! But…you have BOOBS! I thought you were a boy!"

"Well, I guess I was a bit of a tomboy. I'm not surprised," Irina giggled, sticking her tongue out a little.

"Childhood friends aside, can we get to the reason from this meeting?" asked Sona. "I was told that a rogue exorcist has entered our territory and had an Excalibur which Lord Summers managed to reclaim from him."

"It's worse than that," Xenovia answered. The two exorcists took the remaining sofa while Mike grabbed a chair with Yura standing on Sona's side. "You see, recently the church had three Excaliburs stolen. Rapidly, Transparency, and Nightmare. Fortunately King Summers was able to reclaim Rapidly for us. For that we are grateful."

"No worries," Mike nodded. Glancing to Rias' side, he noticed Kiba was not looking like his usual self. In fact, his face was etched in a deep glare which kept dancing between the sword in his hand and the one on Xenovia's back. Likely he couldn't recognize Excalibur Mimic since Irina had turned it into a ribbon and tied it to her arm, hidden beneath her cape. "So the Excaliburs have been stolen and the church dispatched you two here, meaning that the ones responsible brought them here. Do you have any idea who is responsible for it?"

"We have more than a clue. We know who did it," Xenovia answered. "The Fallen Angel, Kokabiel."

"Kokabiel? The one mentioned in the Book of Enoch?" Rias frowned, now very concerned. "He's a commander in the Grigori, is he not?"

"He is," Mike frowned, his previous suspicions confirmed. The eyes of the others turned to him. "And he's a determined warmonger who wants to see the war between the three factions restart. It was him who ordered Raynare to kill Issei so to keep the Boosted Gear from activation and to harvest Twilight Healing from Asia for his forces to use."

"W-what?!" Issei gaped. Rias likewise grit her teeth, angry to hear someone ordered her precious Issei's death.

"Wow. How'd you know that?" asked Irina.

"I found survivors from the church event and they spilled how Raynare used falsified orders to recruit them," Mike replied. "I got into contact with Azazel too and he's confirmed that he is in no way supporting what Kokabiel is doing. For all intents and purposes, Kokabiel is rogue and not receiving support from the Grigori."

"Hm. I see," Sona frowned. "That is very thorough of you Lord Summers."

"Yes. So officially, Kokabiel is rogue. That will at least keep tensions from boiling over too much," Xenovia pondered.

"Yes, but this news brings me a new concern," Mike nodded. He looked up to Xenovia and Irina, his eyes as sharp as steel. "Why is it when faced with a being like Kokabiel, a Fallen of incredible power and who has _fought_ and _survived_ the Great War, not to mention he's probably been leading the Grigori since it was created, the church only sent two teenage girls with only two Excaliburs to get the swords back. If you go for the swords you will likely face him."

"Hey!" Irina whined. "Were plenty good! We've got all sorts of skills to let us win!"

"But how much experience do you have?" Mike pressed.

"Enough," Xenovia responded coolly. "And the Excaliburs aren't the only tool at our disposal."

"Unless it's the Longinus spear, I am finding that doubtful," Mike frowned. His eyes were staring past the two, as if looking at something beyond them. His body language slowly shifted, showing unease. Something was bothering him and it was quickly becoming obvious to the others. They could tell that he was drawing a conclusion that was likely not good.

"Something is amiss to you Lord Summers?" asked Akeno.

"…how well-known is Kokabiel? His habits, desires, governing style, that sort of thing," Mike asked.

"Well, it is a known fact he desires war," Rias offered. "My brother has a multitude of stories from the Great War when he and Kokabiel clashed. He'd mentioned how Kokabiel seemed to find joy in the war, winning or losing."

"It is a well-known fact that Kokabiel would lead if the war restarted," Xenovia nodded. "Many in the church suspect he has had a hand in events which threatened the end of the truce."

Mike nodded, "So it's well known that with the Excaliburs he'd use them to fight. Considering they're here, he knows Sirzechs' sister is here and if they have a history, he knows going here will get Sirzechs to come fight him again. A holy sword killing Lucifer's sister and wielded by the Fallen, it's a guarantee that the war will restart."

"Yes. Something we wish to avoid," Sona nodded with a frown. "Your point?"

Mike began to frown deeply, "I don't think some of Xenovia and Irina's superiors sent them here in hopes that they'd succeed."

Both exorcists flinched, looking to Mike in dismay. Xenovia seemed angrier of the two, looking like she would have slapped Mike if she could get away with it. The Devils on the other hand looked shocked at Mike's rather blatant accusation of the church actually _wanting_ Kokabiel's war plans to succeed. Only Kiba didn't seem so surprised. Although it was hard to say if he was even listening since his glare was still being focused on the Excaliburs in the room. Seeing he was going to have to explain himself, Mike spoke, "We're dealing with _Kokabiel_ a Fallen Angel of immense power. There is no way two teenage girls with holy swords could beat him and it will come to a fight with him if they want to find the Excaliburs. The church has numerous trained, experienced, and much better skilled Exorcists. Not to mention huge caches of weapons and relics which could be used to detain and stop Kokabiel. So why send two teenage girls who likely only have a few missions under their belts with swords that are effectively neutralized by the ones the enemy already has?"

"B-But the only thing which can stop an Excalibur is another Excalibur!" Irina insisted. "A-And if we sent a big company, the Devils would notice and make an issue about it!"

"Considering what is at stake, I would hardly think that the Devils would side with the Fallen or try to stop you," Mike replied. "But one or more of your superiors told you not to involve the Devils. I'd bet they told you not to even speak to the Devils, didn't they?"

"Well…" Irina slumped, but Xenovia began to frown in introspection. Before the brunette could make an answer, Xenovia replied, "Some of them did say to not alert the Devils, but we felt since the Gremory and Sitri had such a hold on the area, we were better off explaining so to keep from having to fight them along with the Fallen."

"Thought so," Mike sclowed. "And you have no backup coming I bet."

"We couldn't afford more. More would alert other forces," Xenovia answered.

"But…but…why would the church encourage Xenovia and Irina to fail?" asked Asia, looking rather distraught.

"Simple. Giving Kokabiel more Excaliburs so his war could go off with a bigger bang, killing more Devils," Mike answered. "And not the whole church, but likely there are factions in the church who aren't pleased with the current state of affairs. They don't want a truce, they want to go out and hunt down all Devils and Fallen in the name of God. To win the war in His name. Ones who would relish the chance to go to war again if it meant doing 'God's Justice' in slaughtering Devils and Fallen every chance they got. If it means sacrificing a few holy swords and the ones who wield them, then they'd be martyrs for the crusade those types would instigate, using them as an excuse to go out and kill like the Knights Templar."

"It's true, some factions were insistent on a more offensive push when Kokabiel was discovered to be the culprit," Xenovia frowned deeply.

"Xenovia! How can you doubt our institution!?" Irina cried, looking betrayed.

"Your institution is run by men, and men have a bad habit of using something beautiful like faith and religion as an excuse to kill and destroy," Mike answered, getting Irina to turn back to him. "The crusades showed just how far the church was willing to use religion as a reason to get what they wanted. The inquisition is also another example. You don't feel that war is not something your faith can embrace which I applaud, but others feel like going to war is just what their religion would demand if it means killing the enemies of God and Heaven," Mike answered.

Irina huffed, "Well Lord Michael and the other Archangels wouldn't embrace war! Not after all the pain and suffering which happened during it!"

"Good. And Angels don't lie unless they want their wings to turn black," Mike nodded. "So it wasn't an Angel who gave you the orders to keep silent from the Devils, to go in such small numbers, or you two alone when more experienced hunters were around?"

"No." Both girls answered.

"Then Heaven doesn't want war either, which is good," Mike nodded. "Which mean it was human zealotry which made those bad orders."

"And no doubt he church has many relics and weapons," Sona frowned, seeing the train of thought. "No doubt ones much more powerful than the Excaliburs. Sacrificing them would be a small price since Fallen wouldn't be able to bring out their full strength anyway."

"Exactly," Mike nodded. "I hope I am wrong, but it seems like one of the pro-war faction members in the church sabotaged your mission and used the church's mistrust of Devils to keep you from getting any help at all."

Irina and Xenovia looked to each other with deep concern. If any of the Devils had said such things to them, they would swiftly disregard it as the misleading talk of Devils. However, it was Mike who was telling them his suspicions. He wasn't a Devil in the literal sense, but a Campione. What was more, he was one who had managed to gain the Wisdom of Solomon. Granted, he may be wrong, paranoid, or biased. Neither exorcist knew him very well beyond some rumors so he could very well be wrong. However, both girls, for their strong faith, were not naïve. They both knew there were those in the church who leaned towards a bloody or violent path, declaring all Devils as evil which must be destroyed, pushing for utter annihilation. There were still debates in the high offices about the truce between the three factions and how it was high time to try and eliminate the evil of the Fallen and Devils in the name of God. Mike had brought up some strong points and even if the two had a potent ace, it would still be a longshot for them to succeed. If he was right, they couldn't just brush it aside because they didn't like it.

"You've given us much to think about," Xenovia replied neutrally.

"Sorry if I insulted you, but I want to stop Kokabiel just as much as you do," Mike sighed. "We can't do that if one of the institutions that's supposed to help us is stabbing us in the back before we can truly begin."

"No, you're right, even if it breaks my heart," Irina huffed. "This surely must be a test from God."

"I think we've all said enough," Xenovia nodded as she and her partner stood up. "We will go to our base. We have much to plan for. Can we count on your help Lord Campione?"

"Always," Mike nodded. "Just say the word. I can be found either here or at my apartment. I can give you the details later."

"No need. We already know from our briefings," Xenovia replied. "Good day to you all."

The two left, leaving the Campione and two Peerages behind. However, no one was talking.

The situation just grew that much worse than just a psycho with a sword.

 **To be Continued…**


	11. Dark Night

**I do not own Campione, High School DxD, or the elements of Code Geass that I chose to incorporate into this story. I am only writing this for fun and not for any sort of profit. If you do not like this story then you are free to leave it and find something more to your tastes. For those you that remain, I hope you continue to enjoy and support the story.**

 **God Slayer DxD**

 **By Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Chapter 11: Dark Night**

As Xenovia and Irina left, Mike looked to Rias, Sona, and their respective Peerages. They had been given the situation on the Excaliburs and Kokabiel's plot to try and instigate war between the Three Factions. As if things hadn't been tense enough with the fact that a psycho Fallen Angel had some of the most powerful Holy Swords at his beck and call, Mike dropped a possible bombshell in that factions in the church were sabotaging the pair's mission before it really began, slating them for failure so that Kokabiel could go to war and those pro-war factions could go on crusades for the name of God like they did during the Great War.

"Hell of a bombshell you just dropped on us," Issei commented to Mike with a grimace. "I mean, not only is this Kokabiel creep against us with Freed, but so is this secret sect of the church cheering him on."

"I…I can't believe it," Asia whimpered, looking downright heartbroken. "I was taught that the church advocated peace and goodwill, but to hear some actually want…want to wage war?!" Tears welled up slightly in her eyes, making Mike feel like a world class heel. It should have been illegal to be as adorable as Asia was!

"In hindsight, it is rather obvious," Sona frowned, rubbing her chin. "Only two teenage exorcists, albeit armed with Excaliburs, going up against Kokabiel who still has two of his own, nullifying their only advantage."

"And then trying to make them paranoid enough to avoid us as well as an excuse not to send backup," Rias nodded. "That has 'mission failure' written all over it. No doubt those who sabotaged them already fixed something to make it look like they those two thought of it on their own to make them either look foolish or appear like martyrs to inspire others in the church to fight."

"You shouldn't act so surprised. We all know the church is not nearly the pinnacle of goodness it claims to be. Hypocrisy abounds in it," Kiba uttered darkly. He gave one last glare at Excalibur Rapidly at Mike's side, almost trying to will it to shatter under his gaze. He then began walking for the door. "I'm taking a personal day. I have things to do."

"Kiba!" Rias stood up quickly. "I know how much this means to you, but I won't let you just run around. You are a Knight in the House of Gremory. Do you understand that?"

Kiba stopped halfway to the door and looked over his shoulder to Rias, "I know, and I'm sorry. But this is much more important to me." With that, he calmly left the room with just the door announcing his exit.

"Kiba…" Rias grimaced, looking torn between going after her Knight or letting him go.

Mike watched the scene and had to admit he felt like he was missing something to it, "Anyone care to clue me in on that? Kiba looked like he was trying to will the Excaliburs to explode."

Akeno looked sadly to Mike, "It's because Kiba-kun is the sole survivor of the Holy Sword Project. He's harbored a deep hatred for those swords for some time now. I guess with so many of them being so near, he can't hide it any longer."

"The what?" Issei blinked.

"The Holy Sword Project," Mike scowled, resting his chin in his hand. "Holy Swords are supposedly picky about who gets to use them. According to the church, you have to be born capable of using them. What the Holy Sword Project was research into ways to try and create an artificial user. So the church rounded up orphans in their care, likely special ones, and began experimenting on them to the point of death. Then when his research didn't produce the results the church anticipated and they learned what the archbishop in charge was really doing, they tried to bring him in. The man promptly killed the remaining orphans to compensate for his 'failure' and ran, becoming excommunicated," Mike's scowl deepened. "Not that it didn't stop the church from using what results the research produced for themselves anyway. Something I'd bet Irina and Freed benefited from."

Issei openly gaped, even if the other Devils in the room grimaced. Asia looked like she wanted to cry again, "Those sick-! How could they do that?! Those were _orphans_ and they just experimented on them without caring if they lived or died?!"

"I stumbled on Kiba as he had escaped, but was dying from the lethal gas used to kill the other subjects," Rias frowned, eyes glassy in remembrance. "I took him into my Peerage, but I knew he wished to avenge his friends. I just never expected how much hate he held for those swords."

Mike huffed, "Worse, the project may have be completely unnecessary in the first place."

"What?" Sona blinked. "What do you mean Lord Summers?"

"Oh boy," Yura grimaced, remembering what she had been told the Britannia expert had said.

"I was able to use this sword," Mike patted Rapidly. "Not like how Freed did, moving so fast he could not be seen, but by swearing an oath to be a just king, I was able to move so fast the world needed a few seconds to catch up with me. It supports a theory that one has to be dedicated to the ideals of the first user, not just born capable of forcibly drawing the power of the sword like Xenovia and Irina do."

"Oh no," Rias grimaced. "If that's true…we…we cannot let Kiba know that. It might just drive him over the edge."

"Are you sure it is not just because you are a Campione?" asked Sona, adjusting her glasses.

"If it was just that, the sword would glow golden like it would with the others," Mike answered. "I made it shine with white light, showing much more power than before."

"I see…" Sona frowned. "If the church discovers this, more holy sword users will appear."

"Perhaps," Mike shrugged. "But I think the church doesn't want to believe that tidbit, focusing more on natural ability which would mean living and fighting for God makes the wielder, not living by the standards of the first to wield the true Excalibur and imprint his values onto the steel. It would undermine what they try to indoctrinate their warriors into."

"Okay, so zealotry works in our favor this time, but that's beside the point now," Rias spoke up, returning to her seat and looking serious. "The two exorcists made their case and asked us to stay out of it. However, with Lord Summers bringing up the very strong possibility that Kokabiel's sympathizers in the church have sabotaged the retrieval of the Excaliburs, we will have to do something."

"Agreed," Sona nodded. "We will begin searching for information and using some contacts we have. However, we cannot afford to go in too deep. With the Excaliburs being used against us, we have to exercise the strongest of caution."

"Good idea," Mike nodded. "I can get the HCC to see if they can find out anything on our end. If Kokabiel's gunning to restart the war, then he's not going to bother being subtle. The more attention he brings, the more he can show off to get the war started again."

*BRRRIIIIIINNNG*

"And now we must get going," Sona stood up, gesturing for her Peerage to follow. "We will begin tonight immediately after school. No exceptions."

"That goes for you all as well," Rias looked to her own Peerage. "Understand?"

"HAI!"

* * *

 **Abandoned Church**

Night fell and the day ended, allowing the Devils to get to work. However, in another place, others were also focusing their thoughts on the day and their mission. In the former base of Raynare and her comrades, people were once again walking through its halls. Fortunately, it was a more benign presence than the Fallen Angels who once inhabited it. In a back area existed an open space, allowing for a sizable wading pool to be installed. Usually it was for special ceremonies like baptizing or such. In this case though, it was the only place in which any kind of bath could be taken.

"Brrr!" Irina shivered, splashing the cool water over her bare body as she tried to bathe in the moonlight. "I can't have a comfortable bath. This must be another trial from God!"

"Do you honestly believe that?" Xenovia's voice cut through the bright night as she stepped into the water, just as naked as Irina. "The reason we have to stay here like squatters is because you spent all of our money on THAT!" Xenovia pointed to the far end of the room where a painted portrait leaned against the wall. It showed a passing image to a holy figure, but considering how the person was winking and looking like he was blowing a kiss, likely it wasn't made with any true holy intentions in mind.

"Hey! Don't you dare say that!" Irina turned to her partner. "There's an honest holy person in that image and you know it! The salesman said so and why would he lie?"

Xenovia sighed and merely sat down at the edge of the pool, palming her face, "Why were you of all people chosen to be my partner?"

"Wow, don't hold back your feelings," Irina pouted.

Xenovia may have retaliated, but her stomach and Irina's both cut in with loud rumbles. Both girls blushed at the sound, remembering just how hungry they were. Once the sound died down, Xenovia looked to her partner, "The first thing we must do is find a way to get something to eat. We're hardly in any condition to retrieve the Excaliburs when we're starving half to death."

"Yeah, that's true," Irina nodded, but then perked as she got an idea. "Hey, let's ask Lord Summers to sponsor us while we're here or something! He's probably got access to loads of stuff which can help us!"

"Let's…hold that option for a last resort," Xenovia replied. "While no doubt Lord Summers can supply us, I am wary of what he might ask for in return."

"What? But he was so nice!" Irina cried. "I'm sure if he wanted anything it wouldn't be a sacrifice on our parts!"

" _You_ were the one who told him we had the option of offering our virginities for his assistance," Xenovia retorted. "Rumors speculate at the moment of how he is gathering a harem much like Lord Kusanagi. The way that blue-haired Devil fawned over him and tales about his first Knight give those rumors weight to me. So I would rather we not ask for his assistance unless absolutely necessary."

"Well, okay, if you're sure," Irina huffed, taking her own seat at the pool edge. After a moment of silence, Irina looked to her partner, worried, "Hey Xenovia. Do you think Lord Summers is right? That someone in the higher ups sabotaged our mission before we even left?"

The bluenette sighed, rubbing her face, looking forlorn at the question, "I…I do not wish to believe it…but with the facts he brought up, I cannot outright deny it either. You know as well as I that there are those within the church that are outspoken about taking more extreme actions in regards to the Devils and Fallen despite the truce."

"Yeah…but to actually _want_ war?" Irina cringed. "How could they want that?

"There are many who would to unspeakable crimes, feeling doing so in God's name would absolve them of any sin," Xenovia answered. "Look at some of the disgraced members of the church whom were excommunicated."

"Yeah…" Irina wilted, "But to sabotage such an important mission? We're better than that despite personal feelings! We can't let the Fallen keep the Excaliburs!"

"True, yet so far it seems there are some who did just that," Xenovia frowned. "While we are indeed skilled, some of the best seen in a long time, there are still more skilled and experienced agents that us, regardless if they can wield an Excalibur or not. Furthermore, we should have known that at least the Devils in this region would not back the Grigori. We both know the reputation which the Sitri and the Gremory developed outside of warfare. But we allowed our distaste of Devils prevent us from accepting any reinforcements of any kind, fearing it would motivate them to take up arms. We allowed prejudices to color our vision, allowing whoever ordered our mission parameters to play us, likely as martyrs."

"Well, I don't mind being a martyr, but I kinda don't want to unless I have to. There's still a lot I can do for people, you know?" Irina smiled weakly.

"Fear not. I feel the same," Xenovia nodded. "Although it does make me wonder which of our superiors ordered such flawed parameters."

"Well, it couldn't be Cardinal Victorio!" Irina insisted "Everyone knows how powerful his morals are! He'd never order such a thing to help instigate war!"

"True, and I would never dream of accusing a few others, but it still leaves suspicions to be cast on even more," Xenovia sighed.

"Man this sucks," Irina pouted. "What has the church come to if we can't even trust our own superiors?"

"Now this truly is a trial from God," Xenovia sighed.

*GRRRRRROOOOOOOOOWWLLLLLL!"

"As is this."

* * *

 **Mike's Apartment**

"So what are we going to do now?" asked Villetta, sitting on the couch. Rather than her normal posture, she had Mike's head planted firmly on her lap as she gently stroked his head. In her words, she was 'having her turn' since Yura wasn't around. Normally Mike would be a bit embarrassed, but with the headache his day had brought him, he was glad for some TLC. "We've made contact with the Vatican's team, but I agree with your suspicions that there is little hope for just the two of them against Kokabiel even with their Excaliburs."

"If you ask me, its likely agents of the Grigori who like Kokabiel's way of thinking," Kalawarner offered. "We've always been trying to get men inside the church during the Great War. Likely there are a few lingering around."

"Or they're just fruitcakes who are as crazy as Kokabiel but just worship God instead," Mittelt countered.

"Who sabotaged their mission doesn't matter now," Cornelia quickly cut in from her chair. "What matters is what we can do to help them and stop what Kokabiel's plan from reaching fruition."

It had been a long day since meeting Xenovia and Irina, but so far Mike hadn't heard a word from them. He worried that they'd gone ahead and tried to hunt down Kokabiel and faced some of his cronies in the process. He'd reported what he'd discovered as well as sharing the suspicions he had after hearing about the pair's mission and how little they were really prepared for it. No extra supplies, no backup, no plan, and their secret weapons were already negated by the only ones they knew the enemy had. Cornelia and Villetta agreed with the suspicions. With how important their mission was, the two girls were showing a remarkable lack of preparation. No matter how skilled they were, if they didn't supply themselves accordingly then their chances of victory would be much lower.

"I already contacted the HCC to see if they could get us any information," Mike spoke up. "I figured a Fallen Angel like Kokabiel must light up like a Christmas tree in raw power. If I can't sense him in the region, he's either laying low, or using some kind of magic to hide himself. If it's the latter, our only chance is to go find him. If it's the former, he's got to be using some high class magic to do it. Powerful entities aren't exactly easy to hide in my logic."

"Plausible," Cornelia nodded. "So you had the HCC keep an eye out not only for Kokabiel's power itself, but any power which is being used that could hide it."

"Yep," Mike nodded. "Kokabiel is perhaps a needle in a haystack with how he's hiding, but what I'm looking for is the glint of the needle rather than just sifting through the hay."

"A good plan," Villetta agreed. "Still what will be our plan of action once we find him?"

"Duh! Kick his ass!" Mittelt shrugged. "We've got one of the Excaliburs and he wants those. All we have to do is bait him with it. Not even he is guaranteed to beat out a Campione! We just beat him down until he's tired and we all jump in and finish him off!"

"That has so many holes in it I can't begin to point them out," Kalawarner shook her head. "Lord Summers is strong. I'll be the first to admit, but do you know just how much battle experience Kokabiel has? Like, perhaps millennia of battle experience. Sure, Lord Summers could fight him, but one on one we're looking at the odds more in the bastard's favor. Maybe if Lord Summers had some more experience and a few more Authorities things would be different, but right now he's the low man on the Campione totem pole," she stopped and looked to Mike who was gazing at her from Villetta's lap, "Uh, no offense."

"None taken. I know where I stand," Mike sighed. He was indeed the newest of the Campione and although he had done well in slaying two Heretic Gods since claiming his title, he was still the green one. Sure, Godou wasn't any older than him, but he'd taken down Verethragna, a God of Victory and if word was right, beaten Athena, the Goddess of Honourable War. One had to have something special to beat deities who commanded victory itself or strategy as their domains. Mike had beaten only Hero Gods so far, a completely different tier of Heretic God from the ones his siblings had beaten.

"Fighting Kokabiel isn't going to be easy," Mike sighed, rubbing his eyes. "But for now, let's just focus on finding the asshole before we worry about how to fight him. He's got to be holed up somewhere in Kuoh since this area is vital to his plans of starting a war.

The mood was down, but it got a rather sudden interruption when Mike's cell phone began to ring. Getting up from Villetta's lap, he dug out his phone before receiving the call, "Hey, Mike here."

" _Hey Mike, it's Issei,_ " the voice of the resident perv came from the other end.

"Oh, hi Issei. What's up? News about this Holy Sword stuff?" asked Mike, hoping Rias had some new information for him.

" _Um…not really. I…sort of need a favor,_ " Issei answered, sounding like he knew he was doing something bad.

"A favor?" Mike frowned. "Well, depends on what it is. If it involves perving on someone you can forget it."

" _Not that! Sheesh, see if I invite you for male bonding,_ " Issei grumbled. " _No, I was hoping you'd meet me at that French cafe, Café de Chaton, after school?_ "

"Sure. I know where it is," Mike nodded. Yura dragged him there once or twice during lunch period of after school. It was a nice place. "What's this about?"

" _I think I've got a plan to deal with this mess, at least so Kiba can get past what happened to him and get the Excaliburs back,_ " Issei explained. " _I'd rather tell you in person so can we meet?_ "

"Yeah. I'll be there," Mike nodded before he hung up. "Well, Issei's got a plan. Can't wait to hear it."

"Bet it involves women's tits somehow," Mittelt snickered, obviously not having much faith in whatever thought Issei had.

* * *

 **Café le Chaton**

Mike approached the street side café, looking for the familiar Devil. After a bit of searching, he found Issei seated at a table next to a brick wall divider, allowing him some measure of privacy. Obviously whatever he had in mind wasn't going to be meant for the ears of the mundane. Surprisingly, Saji of all people was with him. What made it surprising was that Saji and Issei didn't really get along all that well. From what Mike knew, Saji had come onto Asia petty strongly and Issei took offense to that, having his roving eye on her as well. Perv rivalry, nothing else like it.

"Issei," Mike announced, approaching the table. "I'm here. What's up?"

"Lord Summers?!" Saji gulped, eyes widening as they landed on Mike. "Hyoudou, you called the godslayer here too?!"

"Yeah, what I have is crazy enough we'll need the help," Issei nodded.

"Well don't keep us in suspense, what is it?" asked Mike as he sat at the table.

"Okay, here it is," Issei nodded. "I want to work together with those girls from the church to destroy the Excaliburs."

"WHAT?!" Saji yelped, leaping from his seat. Seeing people looking, he grimaced and sat back down. "Are fucking serious?!"

"As a five hour boner!" Issei nodded.

"Jeez, even here you perv out," Mike rubbed his temple.

"Do you even realize how much trouble we'd get into if we get mixed up with them?!" Saji cried. "Sure, Rias is strict, but she's reasonable. Sona's just strict on top of strict! You can't even comprehend the kind of punishment she'd dish out if she even found out I was talking about going along with your psycho plan!" He got up to his feet, grabbing his school bag. "Sorry Hyoudou, but you are on your own!" He walked away, passing the brick divider, but was suddenly stopped although he tried to keep moving. "Huh?"

The three boys glanced to see what had snagged Saji only to find Koneko sitting at the table behind the divider, listening to their conversation and enjoying a parfait before she had grabbed the retreating saji. Swallowing a spoonful of the treat, she looked to the trio, "I should have known you would try something."

A sharp tug pulled Saji back to Issei's table where Koneko relocated herself, the struggling Saji trying to get away. Issei looked especially nervous, knowing that he was busted for trying to get involved in an issue his King would definitely not want him to be a part of. Rias and Sona were going to get involved, but not too deep as of yet. Issei was all but willing to plunge right into the middle of it all and was looking for help in doing so. Koneko was very loyal to Rias, so they were effectively busted. Still, the loli Rook was calmly eating her parfait, "So why are you trying to do this?"

"Well…for Kiba I guess," Issei mumbled. "I could tell just how much this meant to him and he all but said he was willing to go become a Stray Devil if it means he can get his shot at revenge. So I figured if we helped those church girls and destroy the Excalibur, Kiba wouldn't risk going Stray and he can get some closure."

"Nice plan, but you know the church's stance on Devils," Mike commented.

"Yeah! Exactly!" Saji whined. "So let me go home already!" He tried to get up, but a tug from Koneko on his shirt sat him down.

"I know how those two feel about Devils, but the church wants the swords back no matter what," Issei explained. "So that's why this plan works. If it gets the swords away from Kokabiel, then all the better. Plus, those girls know they've been set up to fail so they know they need the help. In return, we can not only beat Freed who's using them, but let Kiba destroy one so he can put his past to rest."

"You realize if this goes wrong, it could make a lot of trouble for Rias," Koneko warned.

"I know…but Kiba's my friend and he's saved my ass more than once," Issei sighed. "So I figure if it can help him keep from going Stray and settle the past, we have to do this."

Mike chuckled, shaking his head, "Man, it's because of things like this which keeps me from hating you on principle. You may be a total perv, but you're a real friend where it counts so I can put up with it." He looked to Issei, "Okay. I'm in. Once we do this, I can just claim I broke the Excalibur Kiba destroys so no one thinks the Devils were responsible and make more bad blood between the Factions. I mean, divinity isn't exactly friendly towards me anyway."

"I'll help too," Koneko nodded. "I don't like keeping it from Rias or Akeno, but for Kiba's sake I will."

"Alright! Thanks you two!" Issei grinned.

"Great, you have your Rook and the Campione on your side so you don't need me! Seeya!" Saji made to leave again, but another tug from Koneko put him back into his seat. He gave off a whine as he was stopped again. It made Mike want to laugh but also wonder what kind of punishments Saji was looking at for disobeying Sona if he was reacting in such a way.

"Come on Saji," Issei frowned. "We need every hand we can get for this so you can help out too."

"But I don't wanna~!" Saji cried, actually shedding tears.

"Still, we have to find Xenovia and Irina first before we can move ahead with this idea of yours," Mike reminded the resident perv. "Any idea on how to do that?"

"Nothing else to do but look for them," Issei shrugged. "I mean, it's not as if they're just going to show up on the curb somewhere."

* * *

" _It's not as if they're just going to show up on the curb somewhere_ , you said," Mike deadpanned.

Finding Irina and Xenovia turned out to be quite easy. The two girls were in fact standing at a street intersection where there was lots of foot traffic. There, they were holding donation bin and declaring bible-esque speech, asking for charity from the people around them. Perhaps it would have netted them something, even if Japan wasn't a big stronghold for the church, but not in this case. The duo hadn't even removed their cloaks and hoods, making them look more like cultists to some pagan religion rather than a pair of religious young women who were down on their luck. People stared at them, but no one dared go near them and a lot of people were whispering in low voices.

"It would almost be funny if it weren't pathetic," Saji muttered at the sight.

"Well, at least we found them," issei blinked, finding the scene bizzare.

"True," Koneko nodded.

Mike rubbed his temple and decided to just up and ask the duo since watching the scene was both heartbreaking and pathetic at the same time. Walking up to the pair, he saw them both freeze when they noticed him, "Hello ladies. Do you have a free moment so we can talk?"

"Ah! Lord Summers!" Irina smiled. "Well su-!"

"Actually, we have-!" Xenovia began to interrupt.

*GRRRROOOOOWWLLLLL!*

Mike blinked, awed by the noise coming from both girls' stomachs while they blushed in total embarrassment. Easily guessing that it had been a while since they ate, Mike decided to make them an offer they couldn't refuse, "If you're willing to listen to me and a few Devils, we'll buy you lunch someplace."

"YES!" Both girls cried out desperately.

The meeting quickly relocated to a nearby restaurant where the girls promptly ordered a meal for five while everyone else just got soft drinks. Mike groaned for his wallet since the whole meal was on him. Even if he was being given money by the Whitengamont or the HCC, he didn't like to spend it on just anything willy nilly. Well, since it was for the good of reclaiming the Excaliburs and stopping Kokabiel's war plans, he could write it off as an expense for diplomatic reasons? It was certainly plausible. Hopefully it would be enough for Villetta when she had to explain the month's expenses.

"So delicious!" Xenovia praised as she plowed through her meal.

"Japanese food is the best!" Irina happily added while she cowed down on her own share.

It was kind of watching an eating contest go in fast forward, making it look rather intense to the four watching the girls eat. Still, they politely waited for the pair to finish and set down their eating utensils. Xenovia guzzled down a glass of water, showing she was finished, but she didn't look pleased but rather, afraid? "Lord in Heaven…although this restores our faith, the fact Devils helped save us surely must mean the End of Days is near!"

"We practically sold our souls! Oh how will we be forgiven?" Irina warbled, looking like she was about to cry.

"Oh come on!" Issei groaned. "So a Devil King bought you lunch. Big deal!"

"Issei," Koneko warned silently.

"Right, right," Issei huffed.

Irina sighed, and ate one last bit before she smiled, "Oh Lord, please bless these wayward souls for their generosity and kindness in our time of need."

"GAH!" the three Devils cried, suddenly clutching their heads in pain. Mike had to blink at the sight. He knew Devils couldn't so much as speak about God lest they get a jolt of pain, but to not even be able to handle a simple blessing of thanks when they did something God would approve of? That was just harsh. Issei was the loudest as he cried, "For the love of Maou, you don't need to give us blessings like that!"

"Oops!" Irina blinked. "Sorry! Force of habit."

"Yes," Xenovia nodded. "Now Lord Summers, why have you and these Devils sought us out?"

"Well," Mike begam he looked to Issei who nodded back to him. Although it was Issei's plan, Koneko had pointed out that if Mike explained it, having the Wisdom of Solomon andbeing a Campione, the duo might be more willing to follow through on the plan. "Here's how it is. We want to help you, but in return you have to let one of our friends destroy an Excalibur sword."

"What!?" Irina cried out in shock.

"Hmm, I see," Xenovia nodded. "Well, I am not opposed to it. Your help would be welcome."

"WHAT?!" Irina cried louder at her partner. "Xenovia! Lord Summers might be okay but the others are Devils! What are you thinking?!"

"I'm thinking about our mission," Xenovia replied calmly. "You know what we're up against. Kokabiel is very powerful and even if one sword has been reclaimed we still only have about a thirty percent chance of succeeding. However in the face of what Lord Summers pointed out, our chances even with our ace are likely less than that in the first place." Her eyes narrowed. "I am willing to die for our cause, but not when my death would be more helpful to our enemies than it would be to our allies. Were we to die, Kokabiel would have four Excaliburs instead of the two he has now."

"Well, true…but…" Irina mumbled, failing to find an argument for the logic. She had strong faith, but she wasn't naïve either.

"So then we agree," Xenovia nodded, looking to the Devils. "So the Devils' price is a to be allowed to destroy an Excalibur. What is yours Lord Summers?"

"Huh?" Mike blinked.

"A Campione's assistance in any matter is not a cheap thing to come by, if it can be bought at all," Xenovia answered. "So what is it going to take for you to grant us your assistance in our mission? Do you require payment? Artefacts to help your ambitions? Or would you simply prefer to keep Irina and myself as concubines for your growing harem? Anything you desire, the church has authorized us to grant you in return for your help."

" _What?!_ " Mike choked on his breath.

"GAH! I knew it! I knew it, you bastard!" Issei cried out in outrage. "First you deny building a harem and now you have one and girls are already throwing themselves at you to join it! This is so unfair!"

"Will you shut up?!" Mike hissed, seeing people beginning to stare. He turned back to Xenovia with a deadpan glare. "I don't need anything in return. I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do and I don't want people I care about to be killed thanks to Kokabiel's war plans."

The answer seemed to take Xenovia aback, "I…I see."

"Oh bless you Lord Summers!" Irina beamed. "See Xenovia? I told you he was a nice King!"

"Y-yes," Xenovia nodded. "Then I suppose we have an agreement."

"Awesome!" Issei grinned. He quickly dug out his cellphone and began dialing a familiar number. "Just let me call up our last partner and see if we can't get him on board."

Issei quickly made his call and set up a meeting between the group and who Mike assumed to be Kiba. The Knight set the place and the group left to meet him, leaving Mike to pay the tab. Fortunately he had enough on him and they were able to get a move on. Kiba had picked an open air park near a fountain to talk. Kiba was right on time, but his eyes were narrowed with his usual distaste for the Excaliburs, knowing that the two girls had them in their possession. The sun was setting when they all arrived. The atmosphere was tense, and for good reason.

"Okay, so just so we're all clear, we're here to work together for this," Mike announced, playing the role of mediator since he was technically neutral in the affair, "Kiba, Issei managed to work up a plan which will allow you to destroy an Excalibur after we liberate them from Kokabel's grasp. Then the girls can take their swords and the broken one back to the church as per their mission despite the handicap their corrupt superiors put on them."

Kiba blinked, "You'd…you'd truly allow me to destroy an Excalibur?"

"Yes. Better they be destroyed than in the hands of the Fallen," Xenovia nodded. "But do not think I am pleased with this. I merely know our chances without your help. But if you need more incentive to agree, then there is something you will want to know."

"And what would that be?" asked Kiba with a frown.

"We learned you were the only survivor of the Holy Sword Project. For the terrible crime committed against you and your friends, the church truly regrets it. As do we," Xenovia explained. "However, we do know the name of the man who was in charge of the project and made the decisions regarding your inhumane treatment. His name is Valper Galilei."

"Valper…Galilei?" Kiba's eyes narrowed, "Yes…yes, I know that name. I heard it many times although I never saw the man myself."

"He's a leading expert in Holy Swords, specifically the Excaliburs," Irina spoke up. "However, after the nature of his research and experiments were discovered, he was excommunicated. Many in the church call him the Archbishop of Slaughter for his bloody crimes. We believe considering it is the Excaliburs which are the focus of Kokabiel's plans, Valper is somehow involved. Many excommunicated priests end up under the protection of the Grigori so since it was a Fallen Angel responsible for the theft, it only makes it a stronger chance Valper is nearby."

"I see," Kiba nodded. "Then if I work together with you, the chances are good that I'll be able to find him as well. That's all the reason I need to follow this plan."

"Good," Xenovia nodded. "Then we will meet you later at the abandoned church. After dark. We will make up our plan then. Lord Summers, bring Excalibur Rapidly. We will need it."

"Right," Mike nodded. "See you later."

The two girls took their leave, leaving the Devils and the Devil King behind. It was all of a moment when they were out of sight before Saji broke down, "Dammit! Don't any of you realize what this might lead to?! We could have started another war with the church! As it is we may just start one with the Grigori instead!"

"Big issues like this bring some risk," Mike shrugged. "Can't be helped."

"They do," Kiba agreed. "Which is why Issei, Koneko, Saji, I have to ask you all to stay out of this. This is my fight alone. I can't bring you into it where you might get hurt or killed."

"Oh come on!" Issei grumped. "We're friends aren't we Kiba? You've had my back dozens of times so it's about time I had yours! I get those swords were the reason you suffered so I'm going to do my part to help you get revenge so you don't have to turn Stray! It's what friends do!"

"Yes," Koneko nodded, but grabbed Kiba's sleeve. She looked up to Kiba with honest worry in her eyes. It was probably the first time Mike had seen the white-haired loli give off any kind of emotion. "And if you were to disappear Kiba, it would make me sad."

Kiba stiffened, but then chuckled, "Well, I guess there's no helping it then. I can't really go anywhere without you guys having my back now can I?"

"Great," Saji groaned. "Kiba, level with me. I get the Holy Sword Project was awful, but was it really as bad as I think?"

"Probably worse," Kiba shook his head. "We were rounded up from orphanages sponsored by the church. Anyone who had the potential to use a Holy Sword or had a Sacred Gear. They lured us in saying things like we were helping God protect people, or when we were done we'd be adopted by a family. But when we were taken, we were all locked in the same room and more or less caged like animals. We weren't human. We were test subjects," Kiba's frown grew. "Then the experiments began. They'd make us fight. Over and over. Then we'd get injections, operations, implants. All manner of medical and magical processes were done to us. They were painful, disfiguring, and disgusting. Then they'd make us fight again just to see if it worked. Sometimes we'd die right there in the training grounds. Other times we'd die during the night or of infection. We wouldn't even get time to mourn. They'd just haul the body away like trash and tell us to forget about them if we wanted to stay alive."

"Bastards…" Mike growled, his arms crossed with his fingers clenched.

"And then we got word that the experiment was a failure," Kiba sighed. "All that pain, and it was for nothing. Of course, Valper couldn't let us go. Not after the cruel and inhumane torture he'd subjected us to. If we were released, we'd tell the church what he did to us and he'd lose it all. His respect, his title, his power, all of it. So his men charged into the room and began spraying poisonous gas at us. We began choking, coughing up blood and dying right there. We fought back, and thanks to them I managed to get away, but I had inhaled too much of the poison and was dying out in the snow. I was lucky to have Rias stumble on me and she rescued me. It's thanks to her I'm alive now, but as the last survivor of the Holy Sword Project, I have to destroy Excalibur or their pain will never end."

"Oh man…" Issei winced in sympathy. "Kiba…"

"KIBA!" Saji broke out in a gut-wrenching sob. "OH MAN! I HAD NO IDEA YOU HAD SUCH A TORTURED PAST! I USED TO HATE YOU BECAUSE OF YOUR GOOD LOOKS BUT NOW I CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL FRIENDLIER! YOU CAN COUNT ON ME FOR ANYTHING! I'LL HELP YOU ANYWAY I CAN!"

"That's…great," Kiba nodded, a little unnerved at the extreme reaction.

"And…since we're all talking about ourselves, I will too," Saji wiped his face. "You see, my dream is to…to get Kaichou pregnant so I can marry her!"

Kiba, Koneko, and Mike deadpanned at Saji's passionate outburst. Granted, it was kind of obvious that he had a thing for Sona, but to desire her so much he wanted to knock her up so he'd have an excuse to marry her? That was just downright stalker-ish behaviour. Worse still, the Pawn looked rather proud of himself for thinking up the perverted daydream he called a plan. Yet somehow he seemed to think himself better than Issei?

But Issei seemed inspired by it, "Saji!" He clamped his hands on his fellow Pawn's shoulders. "I completely understand! Saji, listen to my dream! My dream is to suck on Buchou's boobs!"

The trio deadpanned further.

"Hyoudou, are you nuts?!" Saji cried. "To even fondle a High Class Devil's boobs, your own King's, is no small feat!"

"Ah, but I've already touched them," Issei replied firmly. "And I've even fondled them."

"No way!" Saji gasped in awe. "You're kidding!"

"No Saji, I am not!" Issei shook his head. "Don't you see? If a Pawn like me can do it, so can you! The boobs of your Kaichou are a lofty goal, but not an impossible one!"

"Dear God they're multiplying," Mike groaned.

"The worst," Koneko frowned.

"Ah ha, ha, ha," Kiba chuckled weakly.

* * *

 **Abandoned Church**

Mike and the Devils met both exorcists at the old church where Issei and the others fought the Fallen before. Xenovia and Irina both had devised the plan to have everyone dress up in the robes of priests. Freed had been taking a perverse pleasure in hunting down anyone wearing them in the area as a means to amuse himself. Fortunately, although the church had most of its valuables removed when it was closed down, it had left a number of things behind, like the priestly robes which didn't fit among a few other things.

"Never imagined I'd be wearing these," Saji commented

"Now without kicking and screaming I bet," Irina laughed as the group converged. The boys looked respectable, although Irina found the irony of Devils wearing a priest's clothes (crosses removed) to be amusing. Koneko looked almost comical as despite the clothes being the smallest there, they were still big on her tiny frame.

"We should search in groups," Xenovia offered. "Lord Summers, Irina, and I have heard reports of Freed operating in different areas. We will search the active church to see if he is skulking around. You all should check the old manor outside the city where people have been reported as disappearing."

"Right," Kiba nodded.

"And above all else, stay in contact," Mike reminded everyone. "We don't need anyone being heroes. The goal is to beat Freed, get Excalibur, and come back home alive."

"Right," everyone agreed.

The group split off from there, the trio of exorcists and godslayer heading for the only church still operating in the city. Mike felt a little embarrassed, dressing up like a priest but if it helped draw out Freed then he would do it. They reached the church, another impressive building before a nun serving there gasped at the sight of them and let them in. Irina and Xenovia talked to the priest in charge of the place, letting him know what they were there for, even if their mission was classified. Mike merely looked at some of the paintings which decorated the rooms, mainly images of Angels and their allies fighting off evil.

"Man, would Angels even be on my side anymore?" Mike wondered to himself, knowing that at least the named Angels were among the Domain of Immortality. Killing one of them if they turned Heretic might be enough to get God angry at him. Mike just hoped it wouldn't come to that.

"Hey, Lord Summers!" Irina called as she and Xenovia finished their meeting with the priest. "Seems Freed's been skulking around. If we stay put he may just come to us!"

"Works for me," Mike nodded. "So we wait here in the congregation hall?"

"So it seems. Apparently Freed's vandalised the property several times and isn't subtle about it," Xenovia explained. "If he comes, we will be ready for him."

So the group settled down in the pews, waiting for a sign that Freed was coming. As the waiting continued, Mike quickly learned a quirk about Irina: she didn't like to sit still. As cheery and perky as she was, it was pretty much a guarantee that she didn't like to stand still much. The only exception was when she was praying to God. While Xenovia seemed able to remain as still as the stone saints in the upper walls and ceilings, Irina softly hummed to herself, twiddling her fingers while admiring the architecture and the religious significance behind it. Finally though, she broke the silence, "Hey Lord Summers, could I ask you something?"

"Sure," Mike nodded.

"What was King Solomon like?" asked the perky exorcist. "I mean, was he humble? Wise? A warlord? And why'd you decide to kill him anyway?"

Mike winced, recalling his encounter with Heretic God King Solomon and his actions, "Well, are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes!" Irina nodded. A soft nod from Xenovia showed that she was listening too.

Mike sighed, trying to think of a way to word it, "Okay, but…one thing you have to understand is that Heretic Gods are influenced by modern belief of all people and influenced by how modern society thinks. What's the first thing you two think of when you hear of Solomon?"

"The Song of Solomon!" Irina smiled, recalling that portion of scripture.

"His great wisdom bestowed to him by God," Xenovia answered.

"Okay," Mike nodded. "But you see, when I hear of Solomon, the first thing I take note of is one thousand concubines and wives."

"Issei would too," Irina nodded.

"Yeah, but it is the modern knowledge of him unless you're a historian. Most people only ever get he's mentioned in the bible and he had a harem," Mike explained. "Now back in his day, that wasn't a bad thing. Having multiple wives and concubines was considered a normal thing. The number he had was brought together for love and diplomacy, making many ties with numerous other lands and such. Using the system that way was a smart move. If anything, having that many just showed how powerful a king he was. However, in this modern era, it's considered a bad thing. I mean, I'm sure in the church views his having wives and concubines from pagan religions and accommodating their practices is likewise considered bad."

"True," Xenovia nodded. "So these modern beliefs warped him?"

"He'd appeared at the airport because he wanted to collect more exotic women for his harem," Mike answered. "Modern interpretation made him lusty, greedy for women. He wasn't above using an Authority to make them adore him and follow him without question."

"Oh no!" Irina gasped. "But…you stopped him, right?"

"Yeah, after he impaled me with a bunch of spears," Mike winced, rubbing his chest. "Sheer luck I didn't die on the spot, but I did manage to hug him and run him through with his own weapons. It was what got me my title as a Campione."

"Oh my!" Irina gasped. "To stop the rampage of one of our holy figures turned bad! Surely God was on your side that day!"

"Someone sure was," Mike nodded. "Mama Pandora took the limelight after that, transforming me into a Campione. Then I arrived in Kuoh to go to school and the rest is history."

"Yeah, the church has been keeping an eye on your movements," Xenovia nodded. "Seeing how Irina is being chatty, I have a question of my own. We were briefed on your Authorities and one mention gives you the ability to place a blessing on people, empowering them physically and magically, correct?"

"Um, yeah," Mike nodded. " **Harem of the King.** It only works on women, and only if they have some kind of affection for me, and me for them. It boost their abilities, but also whatever positive feelings they have towards me. I can turn it off, but it's kind of an embarrassing Authority to have."

"Oooh, Issei-kun must hate you, beating him to his dream," Irina giggled. "But you don't use it on the women you surround yourself with, do you?"

Mike blushed, sighing, "I've only ever used it twice. The first time was by accident on my Knight, Villetta Nu. We experimented with it on and off and she convinced me she wasn't getting her mind meddled with, just felt more loving to me. It doesn't take away a girl's free will or anything. I can't control them, but it does make them more willing to hear me out. So in the end she asked me to keep it on her. The second was with two Devils. After I shut it down they went back to normal even if I began dating one afterwards."

"I see," Xenovia nodded. "Then for the sake of our mission, could you bestow this blessing on us?"

"Um…" Mike blinked, unable to help but turn red. "That uh…you know…um…requires kissing and us to have feelings and all that…stuff."

"A small price to pay," Xenovia shrugged. "And I suppose if you surround yourself with women, you have some skill at the craft so…" she turned pink. "I can say I do not mind."

"Well I do!" Irina blushed hotly. "A first kiss isn't something you can just give away! It's special!"

"Well who was it that offered Lord Summers our _virginities_ in return for his assistance?" Xenovia scowled. "One would think a mere kiss would be nothing if you could offer that!"

"Hey, don't turn this on me! I was just relaying what one of our superiors said to offer if it came down to it!" Irina huffed, bright red. "I'm not in a hurry to give mine up either!"

"Regardless, this is a tactical opportunity we cannot afford to miss," Xenovia retorted, turning to Mike and dashing his hopes that the bluenette would disregard the train of thought. "Lord Summers, won't you please grant us this boon and use that Authority on us?"

"Geh…" Mike turned bright red. He glanced to Irina who blushed and looked away.

"Well…for the good of the mission I suppose…" she mumbled.

"GEH!" Mike choked on his own breath. "You…you do realize it takes some form of emotional bond, i.e. affection, for it to work, right?"

"Yes. So you told us," Xenovia nodded. "And don't you find us beautiful? Surely that is enough to have it activate on your end. Personally were I to take the path of a woman I would happily accept having you as my partner."

"Uh?" Mike blinked. Was that Xenovia-speak to say she found him desirable? Flattering, but the declaration was kind of cold. "Sure you're not mistaking affection for attraction?"

"Well, if my duties allowed me to date, I'd try," Irina offered, "I mean, even if you're collecting a harem and all that…"

"Oh come on," Mike groaned. Shaking his head, he decided to just bite the bullet. Embarrassing to use, **Harem of the King** still had its uses. Sure, he found Xenovia attractive because of her maturity and Irina for her perky cheer. Their good looks admittedly helped, but Mike doubted it would be enough to trigger that particular Authority. "Ugh…okay. Once. I'm going to try it once. If it doesn't work then we know we don't hold the right emotional connection for it."

"Very well," Xenovia nodded. "Then please proceed."

Mike nodded and stood up, looking to the long mural spreading across three cultures in his mind. Focusing on the Renaissance portrait, Mike looked to the pictures of the women on it, " _Ye woman of beauty, intellect, and charm, I reach out my hand to you. I shall take you as my mistress to protect and to please. I shall accept your devotion, your adoration, and your subservience. Be reborn as my mistress!_ "

Mike watched the mental image change, highlighting the women in the Solomon portrait. His fear then proved true as he felt the Authority trigger in the presence of both girls. It made him want to groan, wondering how the hell in a span of twenty-four hours both girls could hold some emotional bond for it to work with. Villetta made sense since he had saved her life and she took care of him, earning some affection back. Tsubaki and Yura likewise made sense since he managed to fulfill the type of guy they looked for while their personalities both drew him in. But the two church girls? How could they hold something for **Harem of the King** to work on? Granted Mike liked their personalities even if they did have their flaws and you'd have to be blind not to see their beauty? But what could they see in him?

Then that Wisdom of Solomon kicked in, allowing him to realize it. The two trusted him. They believed in his ability and trusted him to watch their backs. Some of the strongest relationships in the world began and ended with trust. It was a foundation on which any relationship was built. On top of that was Irina's friendliness and Xenovia's respect. They faced Mike in battle, they knew he was capable. Trust, respect, friendship, it was a stone's throw away from affection. Perhaps not the real deal, but mix it all together and that was the result you'd get.

Mike's body lit up with gold power as the realization hit him. Steeling himself, he walked up to Xenovia who got to her feet, waiting for Mike to administer the blessing, "Last chance to back out."

"We can't afford to miss this opportunity," Xenovia replied, although she had become flustered again. "Do what you need to do."

Mike nodded and gently cupped Xenovia's cheek before leaning in and capturing her lips. She gasped as Mike's tongue slipped into her mouth, but she did not fight it. The golden glow then spread to her, eliciting a groan as her arms reached around Mike's neck and drew him closer still as the kiss continued. Mike gently released her face and wrapped his arms round her waist, just enjoying the intimacy of the act. Xenovia hummed in pleasure as she reflexively turned one kiss into two, then three, and then four. What was this warmth that spread through her? Her mind didn't quite have a name for it, raised to be an exorcist like she was. It made her body feel warm and in the Campione's arms, a figure she was taught to revere and fear, she felt safe and secure. Momentarily, she even forgot her mission, content to remain right where she was. Was this the Joy of a Woman she had heard about?

"Oh wow," Irina blinked, blushing further at the sight. "That was….wow. Like, it wasn't pervy or anything. I could practically feel the love from it."

That helped bring Mike from the haze he felt after activating the Authority the first time. He gently drew back, keeping his hands on Xenovia's hips while she had her hands on his chest. They both took a moment to breathe, Xenovia looking quite surprised by the new emotions welling up inside of her, but enjoying them nonetheless.

"You okay?" asked Mike.

"Better than 'okay', my Beloved," Xenovia smiled. "I can feel my new strength, giving me greater hope for our mission than before. But…this affection, this love I have, it is such a pleasurable and clean emotion to have. It is as if I already knew I _could_ feel this way for you, but I had not the incentive to pursue that path."

"Ah, thanks," Mike blushed, scratching the back of his head.

"You're quite welcome, Beloved," Xenovia smiled before looking to Irina. "Irina, you simply must partake in this. Not simply for the mission, but also for your heart and soul."

"Ah! Right!" Irina squeaked.

"Are you sure?" asked Mike, seeing how nervous the excitable exorcist was. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"No! I will!" Irina nodded. She closed her eyes tightly. "Now hurry before I change my mind again!"

Mike nodded and gently took Irina's hands before kissing her. She gasped as the gold power spread to her before her tenseness left her body, allowing her to relax and lean her body against Mike's. Soon she was feeling the same positive feelings for Mike. She knew them better than Xenovia, being something of a romantic herself. It was just like how she'd read about it in some of her romantic stories which she kept locked up in her room back at their home. She found herself indulging in the sensation, kissing Mike multiple times, pressing every curve of her body she could into his just for the warmth he poured into her. It was several minutes before they broke it, Irina smiling before resting her face in the crook of Mike's neck, "Wow. To think I hesitated."

"I tried to make it special," Mike spoke, not wanting to break the mood.

"You did," Irina beamed. "A first kiss to dream about."

It would have been a rather romantic scene…if the cell phone hadn't broken it.

*BREET! BREET!*

"Blast," Xenovia huffed, bringing out her phone. She opened it and received the call, "Hello? …What!? We'll be right there!"

"Is it the others?" asked Mike, he and Irina breaking their embrace.

"Yes. They found Freed at the abandoned building," Xenovia nodded. "We must get there now!"

"That I can do! Follow me!" Mike nodded, racing for the front door of the church. Running outside, he made it to the street and not without a bit if déjà vu, " _By the trial of th_ _e river Busiltjörn, show me the one worthy to be my steed. Show me the ones sired by Sleipnir, the steed who shall above else be worthy of being the mount of a king!_ " His body flashed gold before the form of Grani appeared with a loud neigh, clopping on the street, appearing like a guiding light in the night.

"Oh wow! I didn't know about this one Sweetums!" Irina admired with all the joy young women had for horses.

"Well, you do now, let's mount up!" Mike pulled himself onto his steed with both church girls following him with haste. Irina nestled up behind him with a happy smile while Xenovia fit onto the rear, somehow the saddle being enough to fit them. Once they were secure, Mike grabbed the reins and took them off down the streets. Grani's inherent abilities immediately activated and the scenery was racing by, turning from the gray of the city for the green of the woods. A few twists and soon they saw the building in question. Coming closer, they saw Kiba fighting with Freed on the second floor of the building atop an awning with Saji using Absorption Line to keep the man pinned. Below were the remaining Devils and…a rather round priests with gray hair, moustache, and spectacles looking on at the fight.

"Valper!" Xenovia gasped. "So he is involved!"

"Let's do it!" Irina frowned, drawing her ribbon to change it into a sword.

"No arguments here," Mike agreed. "You girls ready?"

"Yes!" both women nodded.

"Then here we GO!" Mike flicked the reins which caused Grani ti neigh and then buck forward, allowing the two exorcists to be launched from the divine steed's back, shooting through the air. Irina landed low, landing in front of the three devils in a crouch. Xenovia took the high riad, coming down from above before she unsheathed Excalibur Destruction and slashed at Freed.

"Oh? More of you? I'm so popular!" Freed laughed as he blocked with a new sword, one with a hilt which looked like an unassuming handle with a straight blade. "Welcome to the party!"

"Tsk! Now you desecrate Excalibur Transparency like you did Rapidly?" Xenovia frowned, riding the block with her momentum to land opposite of Freed. "Freed Sellzan, in the name of God and the church, We shall end you!"

"Bah! Don't say that disgusting name in front of me!" Freed growled. Movement caught his eye and he turned to see Mike atop of Grani coming into view. "Well hey! It's that shitty godslayer who jacked my sword!"

"Hm?" Valper turned his attention to the horse and Rider, seeing Mike dismount his steed. "Ah, so it is. Welcome Your Majesty." His disarming smile grew to a sadistic grin. "You know, I've been curious since Freed reported what you did with Excalibur Rapidly. Did you really move so quickly the world needed a few seconds just to catch up with you?"

"I'd be happy to demonstrate," Mike replied, dropping his priest clothes to reveal his Kuoh uniform with Excalibur Rapidly strapped to his back. He removed it, allowing the sheet to drop from its polished surface. "What do you say? Want to be part of this experiment?"

"Heh! I'd be delighted!" Valper laughed. "I even brought a pair of assistants to help." He turned back to the door to the building. "Oh boys!"

The words, although mundane, brought a wave of power which overtook everyone. Issei and Saji both suddenly gagged and paled, likely on the verge of puking. The strain was so much that Absorption Line weakened and unravelled from Freed's leg. Konokeo trembled fiercely and only her strength allowed her to keep from falling over. Kiba wasn't so fortunate as he dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. Mike on the other hand stiffened and felt his instincts rise up, demanding him to let loose his power and fight what was coming. If the reactions of the Devils were any indication, his own instincts only confirmed it.

Heretic Gods!

Walking out of the house were indeed to men. The first was dressed from head to toe in black steel, sporting clawed gauntlets and thick shoulder plating with greaves with pointed toes. Black leather was protecting the joints and other gaps in the armor, although what kind of beats could make it Mike didn't know. The helmet had two slits for eyes which was glowing with deep red light. On the sides were two horns, stretching out and making the black knight appear more devilish than divine to the people witnessing him. His form was almost invisible in the darkness save for his eyes.

The other man was tall, taller than any adult, at least six foot eight. He wore gold-plated leather which gleamed in the night with red silk crossing over his chest and further gold chains on top of the fabric. His arms were protected with black leather and gold fingerless gloves. His feet were protected by similar greaves and sandals. Hanging from his back was a red imperial cloak, making the Heretic God look kingly of all things. His features were handsome, statue-worthy, but his skin seemed tanned, but like a tarnish rather than any kind of bronze. His hair was black and short, spiked wildly as he lived in the wild. His eyes were the ugly thing about him, being black with red irises, making him look like something beyond a human wearing a man's close. A savage in finery.

"Allow me to introduce my two allies," Valper grinned sadistically. "Heretic Gods Mordred and Caligula!"

 **To Be Continued…**


	12. Eve of Conflict

I do not own Campione or High School DxD. I am only writing this for fun and not for any kind of profit. If you don't like my story then you are welcome to go ahead and read something more to your liking. For those if you that remain, I hope that you continue to show support for my works now and in the future.

 **God Slayer DxD**

 **By Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Chapter 12: Eve of Conflict**

There were some times in a person's life, some situation in which they found themselves, that they realized that they were very much screwed. Mike had swiftly realized that he had reached that point when he stared down the two Heretic Gods before him. Both were notorious in legend, one being the one who instigated Camelot's fall in Mordred, while the other was likely the most notorious Emperor in the history of Rome, ranking in the top one ten most notorious historic figures, Caligula.

On his own side, Mike was only arms with his own Authorities and Excalibur Rapidly. Backing him up were Xenovia and Irina, both with an Excalibur of their own as well as being enhanced by **Harem of the King**. Sadly, the only other backup he had were Issei, Saji, Koneko, and Kiba, but the mere presence of the two Heretic Gods put them down for the count, leaving Mike, Irina, and Xenovia against the two Heretic Gods, the insane exorcist Freed who had his own Excalibur, and whatever tricks Valper Galilei had up his sleeves.

"Heeeeey, lookit you mister hotshot shitty Devil," Freed laughed, poking at the downed Kiba with his sword, causing the boy to wince. "Not so hot when a Heretic God or two decide to take a stroll now are you?"

"Gck!" Kiba cringed, trying to stand, but the poisonous divine aura of the Heretic Gods made it futile.

"No way…" Irina gaped at the pair of men sneering at them. "Two Heretic Gods? Here?"

"Impossible…" Xenovia gaped from where she stood above the scene. "Valper! What in the name of God did you do to bring two Heretic Gods here?!"

"Oh, not me if I may be so humble," the former archbishop admitted, adjusting his glasses. "It was more my employer's skill than my own. I'm just…the supervisor and that's stretching it at best."

" **Indeed. We are here of our own violation,** " Mordred spoke, his voice deep and imposing. " **Both because we were offered our chance to kill one of Pandora's Bastard children, but also our own incentives which Kokabiel has promised us in return for our favor**." Mordred's eyes landed on the Excaliburs the three wielded, the red light in his helmet flaring. " **Me, my price was the seven blades that hold the name Excalibur.** "

" **Bah, you waste such a bargain. I held out for the best deal,** " Caligula laughed. " **In return for my sponsorship, I get the land this flimsy excuse for a city lives on. I shall use it to raise a kingdom fit for my empire. Of course, I'll be sure to save anything worth keeping. Wealth, women, whatever strikes my fancy. I'll be sure to raze the rest.** "

"Wh-what?!" Issei gasped. "Y-You'd destroy the whole city?!"

" **Of course!** " Caligula laughing mockingly at the downed Devil. " **It's an eyesore! So unbefitting an emperor of Rome! Once I claim the land, I will make it something grand, something legendary!** "

"Oh you just had to say that," Mike grimaced, gripping Excalibur Rapidly tightly. "Now I have to take you down just on principle!"

Caligula sneered, " **Just as I was hoping you would!** "

Issei growled and through sheer force of will, took to his feet again. His left arm felt fine, it being draconic instead of infernal. Gripping his fist, he lifted his arm as he allowed Boosted Gear to activate again, " **BOOST!** "

"Don't forget about me!" the pervert growled. "I don't care if you are divine! I won't let you destroy my town!"

"Hmmm, such drama," Valper chuckled. "Well then, I won't hold you all back any longer. Freed, let's go. We have a deadline to meet. King Morded, Caesar Caligula, we will await you at our rendezvous point once you retrieve the other Excaliburs."

" **Heh! All too easy!** " Mordred laughed. Lifting his arm, a haze of black and red smoke rose from his hand before forming into a black and red broadsword which looked almost as long as Mordred was tall. It glowed with malice and deadly intent.

" **Now things will get amusing,** " Caligula laughed, clenching his fists together.

Both Heretic Gods lunged from their position, charging straight at Mike. He lifted his sword to try and defend himself, just barely managing to block Mordred's first strike. His feet skidded back from the force, bringing all of his attention to the black knight. He then heard Mordred chuckle before he suddenly broke away, leaving Mika off balance for a moment. He didn't stay that way long before Caligula came in, socking Mike across the face hard enough to send the eighth Campione flying back into the woods with a resounding crack. Neither Heretic God let up and chased after him.

"Beloved/Sweetums!" Xenovia and Irina cried out in horror before breaking off from the fight to go after him.

"Well, guess that's our cue to leave too," Freed laughed. "Catch you shitty Devils later! I'll be sure to kill you next time!" With as crazed laugh, Freed leaped away into the wilderness while Valper chuckled and merely walked by the downed Devils. They were still weak from the two Heretic God's aura and were in no shape to follow.

"No…wait…" Kiba growled, struggling to get up, but his body just refused to listen. Valper didn't even break his stride as he disappeared into the darkness of the woods. "DAMMIT!"

* * *

"DAMMIT!" Mike cussed loudly blocking another strike from Mordred in a shower of sparks. However, he didn't have much time to think before Caligula came in with another of his devastating punches, nearly taking Mike's head off if he hadn't ducked. He slashed wide, trying to cut into the King of Hedonists, but the emperor just smirked and leaped back just outside of Rapidly's range.

Mike face was already swelling from the first punch and in the few exchanges since, his clothes were getting cut up rather badly. Blood seeped through a few openings. He didn't have any illusions about his skill though. Mordred was just playing with him, keeping him off balance. Mike had a hard enough time even seeing the black knight coming thanks to the time of night.

Seeing a glimpse of red, Mike slashed wide and let Rapidly smash against Mordred's sword. There was another ringing noise as the steel impacted. Unlike when an Excalibur would clash against another, this tinging noise wasn't like some protest. This was a loud and angry ringing screech, like the two swords despised one another. Considering the mythological history between Excalibur and Mordred, it was understandable. It likely had some factual basis which in the back of Mike's mind he made note to examine later.

" **You are but a novice when it comes to the blade!** " Mordred mocked. " **I could have killed you a dozen times over by now if I didn't find your agony so amusing!** "

"Tsk! Then let's make things a bit more interesting!" Mike hissed. " _Deep within the earth, my reign grows onward. My wealth swells, my treasures increase, all for the prosperity of my kingdom. The vaults are locked to all but me and now I shall open the doors and bask in the radiant glow!_ "

The ground rumbled and Mordred leaped back to avoid being speared by the golden weapons which burst from the ground. The ground around Mike erupted with more weapons, forcing both Heretic Gods to step back to avoid being struck. Gold may have been a soft metal, but it could still be sharp! Mike clenched his hands, enlarging the circle of weapons, forcing back Mordred and Caliula even further to give him some breathing space.

Acting fast, Mike lifted Excalibur Rapidly. With so many wounds on his body, he wouldn't have to cut himself before he used his sword at least, " _By the sword of the King of Knights, King Arthur, I hereby pledge fairness to all within my kingdom, to protect the weak who plead for my help in their struggles, and to vanquish evil wherever it may rise up within my borders! With this sword Excalibur, I will become a King of Truth and Justice!_ "

Mike's sword came to life with a flare of white light which illuminated the dark forest they were fighting it. Lifting the weapon high, Mike declared it's name.

" _EXCALIBUR…RAPIDLY!_ "

Like the times before, Mike suddenly vanished in a blue of speed. Rather than be surprised, Mordred immediately moved and slashed his sword in a defensive stance. As he began moving, the ground began to be torn up in small explosions, emulating footsteps before sparks flashed from Mordred's sword, causing loud painful screeches of steel. Finally, Mordred slashed wide and more explosions of dirt and soil came from the ground before Mike appeared, panting for breath as he hunched over slightly with Rapidly in his hands.

" **A good effort, but the power of the sword you hold pales in comparison to the True Excalibur,** " Mordred laughed. " **I know all of its powers, even if the one you have is a mortal imitation which pales in comparison to Arthur's.** "

"Damn," Mike grimaced.

" **Well, if you think that was speed, allow me to show you otherwise,** " Caligula laughed. Taking his own stance, he began speaking for an Authority, " _ **My form is that of a god! My place is in the Pantheon of the gods! So I shall shun my mortal flesh and replace the gods with my beautiful form! Worship me as you would your gods!**_ "

Caligula hunched over and grinned as his body lit up with gold power. A flash from his feet showed wings appear on his sandals near his ankles. Once the wings were fully formed, Caligula looked to Mike, " **Now see the true speed of Mercury!** "

And just like that, Caligula vanished like Mike would. Unlike Mike though, there were no explosions in the soil, but merely a rustle of grass. That was all Mike noticed before a high speed punch slammed into his stomach, causing him to double over. He didn't even have time to gasp or even puke before a second punch struck his chin in an uppercut, launching him into the air. He made some good hang time before another invisible high speed strike crashed into him, sending him back down where he skidded through the dirt, creating a trench in the soil.

"Guh…uh…BLARG!" Mike choked before puking his dinner out next to where he landed. Gagging, he tried to get back up. Stumbling, he looked to the other end of the trench, seeing both Mordred and Caligula approaching, confident to the point of arrogance of their impending victory. Gritting his teeth and ignoring the acidic taste in his mouth, Mike slammed his hand to the ground, causing a multitude of spears and other gold weapons to rise up, scattering both Heretic Gods again.

" **This will only prolong your agony,** " Mordred shouted, landing from his leap. " **But if that is how you want it, that is fine with me!** "

" **Likewise,"** Caligula laughed, rubbing his fist in anticipation.

Mike growled and caused an eruption of more spears and axes. Mordred cut through the ones aimed at him before charging at him. Caligula laughed and vanished into another blast of high speed. Mike reacted quickly and summoned up a wall of marble pillars to shield him. A loud slam came from the right side where Caligula had been while the shriek of metal on stone echoed from the left, halting Mordred.

Mike tried to think of something, anything which could help him. Mordred may have a natural advantage over him, a very prominent aspect of his legend being a king slayer. If that was an Authority in itself, it would naturally give Mordred an advantage over any Campione. They were considered kings in their own right.

What was confusing him was the special abilities Caligula showed with his high speed. Caligula was a regular mortal! Granted, he was a homicidal and hedonistic lunatic, but he was still just a man. How could he suddenly move at high speeds like that? Was Caligula just an aspect and he was a Heretic God who was older and merely evolved into Caligula, using the man's legend as a front? It was the only explanation Mike could think of at the moment since he wasn't well-versed in Roman history so he didn't know much about Caligula beyond the common.

The next moment had the pillars shatter as both Heretic Gods burst through, sword and fist aimed directly at Mike. The eighth Campione quickly ducked before rising more spears and axes, trying to impale the pair as their attacks went over his head. The golden implements struck the two men, but against Mordred's steel, it bent and screeched, only inconveniencing him. For Caligula's leather and gold outfit, the weapons pierced him, but not deeply enough to get through his armor entirely. That was fine since it was only meant as a distraction. Rather than wait, thinking the weapons would hit, Mike dashed past the duo and to the other end of the trench before turning around.

" **Cute. You can plan ahead,** " Caligula mocked, dislodging the spears stuck in his leathers and toss them aside.

" **Annoying, but effective,** " Mordred concurred, batting more spears aside.

"Yeah, but it gives me space for this!" Mike grinned, stomping the ground again. Rather than spears, sharpened diamonds burst out of the ground like firecrackers, but flew with the force of bullets. Both Heretic Gods were quick to shield themselves from the storm of gem bullets. Unlike with Siegfried whose skin was invulnerable, neither man's bodies could boast the same. Caligula grimaced as he felt the gems cut his skin and stick in his outfit, piercing his body, although not deeply. Mordred's own armor fared better, although it was quickly getting studded with diamonds which stuck in the dents which the projectiles created on their impacts.

" **Bah! Enough of this!** " Caligula winced as a diamond cut his cheek. " **Pluto's domain is not for the likes of you!** " A flare of golden aura flashed through Caligula's body before he stomped on the ground. A pulse of power went through and Mike felt something…shift, in the soil beneath him.

He soon got his answer when the ground burst beneath him and skeletal hands grabbed onto his legs. Yelling in shock, Mike hopped back, his barrage of diamonds. In front of him, the shattered ground was torn up even further as numerous skeletons began rising from the ground. All of them were dressed like Roman soldiers and armed with the appropriate weapons. Although they were nothing but bone and the appropriate armor, Mike didn't doubt that each of the men were as strong as they were back when they were alive and in their primes.

" **Can't believe I had to do that,** " Caligula snarled, wiping a thin trickle of blood from his cheek.

" **Hn, ringside seats,** " Mordred huffed, slapping his chest plate to knock some of the diamonds out of it. Eyes narrowing as the Roman soldiers slowly began to advance on Mike, Mordred raised his sword, " _ **The King has left and the throne is empty! Stand by my side and fight in my name! The king's blood which you have sworn yourselves to runs through me! I am the heir to the throne and shall lead you to greater glory than my sire ever could!**_ "

From out of the darkness, more knights began to enter the fray. Their armor was as black as Mordred's, but definitely not as splendid as his. The gaps in the helmets shone red with the traitorous knight's power as they were armed with swords, shields, and pikes. The knights quickly saw their quarry and began entering the ranks of the Roman soldiers so they could advance on Mike as well. The Eighth cursed and really prepared to fight for his life as the soldiers of the two Heretic Gods advanced on him.

" **I propose a wager. Whoever's soldiers kills the bastard child first shall name his reward from the loser,** " Mordred offered. " **Interested?** "

" **Heh! A wager I am sure to win with Rome's discipline,** " Caligula laughed before he looked to the soldier. " **Attack!** "

The conjured knights and resurrected soldiers bellowed before charging towards Mike. The Eighth Campione knew he was in trouble and lifted Excalibur Rapidly with one hand while he prepared to launch more spears from the ground with the other. As the two groups of soldiers came closer, two blurs suddenly shot from the forest before slashing wide with their respective weapons. Both knights and legionnaires were cut in half and collapsed to the ground. The slain knights dissolved into black and red smoke while the legionnaires sank back down into the soil. Mike blinked before he realized that two familiar figures were standing in front of him, "Irina? Xenovia?"

"Hi Sweetums!" Irina smiled with a small wave despite the situation.

"Are you okay Beloved?" inquired Xenovia, staring down the two groups of soldiers.

"Been better," Mike frowned, once again feeling the aches of the hits he took. "I'm in pretty deep here."

"So we can see," the bluenette exorcist nodded. "I assume these were generated by an Authority?"

"Yeah. But Caligula's soldiers don't make sense! He used an Authority connected to the Underworld. Pluto's domain," Mike frowned. "He was a Roman emperor, but he didn't have powers like this!"

"That is confusing," Irina nodded. "But we can figure it out later! We've got fighting to do!"

"Okay. Let me thin the numbers," Mike frowned before he gestured to the ground. More eruptions of soil brought up more spears and other implements. The knights and the legionnaires reacted quickly, moving to avoid the attacks. Their numbers worked against them as many of their numbers were pierced clean through by the golden weapons. Many of them vanished into smoke or dissolved into bones and rags which sank into the soil. "Okay! Let's move it!"

"AMEN!" Irina cheered.

"In the name of God and love!" Xenovia hollered.

"Charge!"

The trio took the fight to the soldiers. It was fortunate that the three wielded Excaliburs. Although the majority of the blades were made from mortal materials, their cores were still divine. It allowed them to take on the soldiers and cut through them and their equipment. With Irina's Mimic in the form of a katana, it allowed her to slip through their defences and cut into them for killing blows. Xenovia's Destruction had no such finesse and cut through the soldier's armor and shields with ease. Mike just allowed the minor boost in his speed Rapidly afforded him to get around each of the soldiers before cutting them down. If the numbers began to turn against him, he summoned up more spears and axes to cut through the enemies and get his breathing space.

"This is getting us nowhere!" Xenovia shouted. "For every one we cut down two more appear!"

"Yeah," Mike grunted. He could see more shadow knights stepping into the moonlit area. Likewise, more legionnaires were bursting from the ground and taking up arms to keep the fight going. If was a battle of endurance and the three were going to lose. Mike's barrage of the golden spears could only take down so many since they kept their discipline and knew the signs of when the spears were going to come up. What he needed was a way to wipe them all out at once! But he didn't have-!

Wait…

"That's it!" Mike gasped before he looked to Xenovia. "Xenovia! Swap swords with me!"

"Beloved?" the bluenette blinked in confusion as she cut down a shadow knight.

"Let me use Destruction and I think I can wipe these guys out in one go!" Mike explained bluntly, cutting down a knight before using his spears to pierce a legionnaire sneaking behind Irina.

"I see. My sword is yours!" Xenovia replied. Leaping back to Mike's side, she tossed Destruction to him while Mike passed Rapidly over to her. She quickly adjusted to the new sword, cutting down two enemies in quick succession. Mike gripped Destruction and swung wide, taking down three enemies in succession. "Irina! Get behind me!"

"Yes Sweetie!" the happy brunette nodded before she dashed away, taking Mike's side.

Seeing both girls were out of the way, Mike lifted Destruction with the tip pointed up, " _By the sword of the King of Knights, King Arthur, I hereby pledge fairness to all within my kingdom, to protect the weak who plead for my help in their struggles, and to vanquish evil wherever it may rise up within my borders! With this sword Excalibur, I will become a King of Truth and Justice!_ " Destruction lit up with shining white light, but unlike the flowing power which Rapidly exhibited, the power Destruction gave off was powerful and heavy, placing a kind of weight on everything in the immediate area.

" **Hm?** " Caligula frowned. " **Now what is he doing?** "

" **Wait…I know this power…** " Mordred frowned, tensing.

Mike lifted the sword high before swinging down with a cry, " _EXCALIBUR… DESTRUCTION!_ "

At first there was an open area in the middle of the woods. As soon as Xenovia's sword met the ground, there was a flash of light which engulfed the entire area in front of him in a triangular wave. The sounds of a complete explosion echoed through the air and the sounds of the earth being sundered echoed through the trio's ears. They were blinded for a moment and Mike felt Destruction shake in his hands from the force of the strike leaving his hands. Soon enough, the light died down and the three could see in front of themselves.

The entire expanse of the forest was completely gone. All that remained was scorched earth which smoked from the intense heat of the power which Excalibur Destruction had given off. Every single knight and legionnaire had been eliminated to say the very least. At the same time, every tree, rock, and whatever poor animals may have been living in the immediate area was likewise wiped out. Mike could only gape at the destruction he'd wrought with the sword in his hand.

"Dear God," Xenovia gasped softly, shocked at the power she witnessed. This was the true strength of Excalibur Destruction she had only tapped the surface of? Perhaps it was better than the Church could only use that small portion or else keeping the peace between the factions wouldn't be as easy as it had been in the past.

"Wow…" Irina gasped. "Did you get all of them? Even those two Heretic Gods?"

"I doubt it…" Mike frowned, looking for signs of Mordred and Caligula. The attack was powerful, but he doubted it would be enough to wipe out a Heretic God or else there would be a lot more Campione in the world.

The sounds of the ground rumbling cut off the three and suddenly a dome of soil rose up from the ground. It quickly crumbled before the two Heretic Gods were revealed. Mordred looked as unphased as ever despite some of the diamonds still stuck in his armor. Caligula was kneeling on the ground, his palms splayed out across the dirt, but he was grimacing like he had been pushing himself harder then he normally had. Obviously he hadn't been expecting the sudden encompassing assault.

" **I am…deeply vexed,** " Mordred growled, tapping his armored fingers on the hilt of his sword.

" **The same,** " Caligula snarled, standing up. " **It seems he is more tenacious than we thought.** "

"Oh come on!" Irina whined. "It didn't do _anything?!_ "

"It would have, if Caligula hadn't buried himself and Mordred beneath the ground where the attack wouldn't hit them," Xenovia observed. "So the divine power in the blades is enough to harm Heretic Gods provided their full power is used."

"Yes, but now they know what it looks like when we use it so they can prepare for it," Mike frowned. "We can't keep fighting like this. We're getting tired and those two are still fresh. We're going to lose unless we do something!"

"Then we must run," Xenovia frowned. "We are simply not ready for this kind of fight. But I doubt they will just let us leave."

"Not unless we make one hell of a distraction," Mike grimaced, charging up Excalibur Destruction again. He lifted his arm and unleashed a mighty swing which impacted the ground in another large explosion, although not as large as the one before, "MOVE!"

Caligula and Mordred shielded their faces from the shower of dirt and rock which showered them. It and the explosion which started it hindered their sight and forced them to turn away. By the time it was finished, all three of them were gone, leaving the two Heretic Gods alone.

" **Hmph! Well my dogs haven't had a worthy hunt in a while,** " Caligula snorted and began to pool his power together.

"No, leave them for now."

Both Heretic Gods looked up to where the new voice had spoken. Above them and illuminated by the night sky hung a figure, obscured by the night. His features could not be seen, but one thing which stood out about him was the fact that he had five pairs of wings, all of them as black as night. It was only the fact that the moon was out which allowed them to be seen at all.

" **Kokabiel,** " Mordred frowned. " **Are you** _ **ordering**_ **us to leave him be?** "

"Not at all, King of Camelot," the Fallen Angel replied, sounding humble, but it obviously rang false. "But consider this the opening act. The god slayer will come to you when the climax of our little plan begins. This was just to give him the message that this little farce won't be the daytime drama he expected it to be. Then he'll be prepared next time and it will be a far more entertaining battle. A fight worthy of kings, don't you agree?"

" **Ha! Your silver tongue is indeed a prize,** " Caligula laughed. " **Very well. For the sake of a satisfying fight, I will agree to leave the bastard child be. But next time nothing will turn me away!** "

" **So be it,** " Mordred grudgingly allowed. A more suitable fight at a proper venue did appeal to him, just so that his victory could be witnessed by all. Decision made, both Heretic Gods walked deeper into the forest before vanishing from sight. Above them, the unseen Kokabiel chuckled before he flew off into the dark sky, eagerly anticipating the beginning of his desired war. All the pieces were in play and he was looking most forward to the results.

Unbeknownst to them, the entire affair had been witnessed by someone else. Walking out of the woods was another figure who in Mike's mind would have reeked of the divine. Clad in her dark blue kimono, Tamamo-no-Mae smiled serenely as she watched Kokabiel take off through the sky. Unlike before, where she hid in a mortal appearance, now was no longer the case. Her orange fox-like ears flicked in amusement while her one bushy fox tail, sparkling even in the moonlight, twitched before she turned to look in the direction where Mike and the two exorcists had run away, "My, my, it seems like you just can't seem to stay out of trouble, can you Campione-kun?" She giggled slightly, "But that's what makes fools like you so fun!"

* * *

The trio had run and made a good dash of it, managing to reach the city proper again. However, that was as far as they got before Mike's wounds and the utter beating he took managed to catch up with him. Irina and Xenovia both used their shoulders to help support Mike as they headed back to his apartment. It took some time and they certainly got some stares by some people out to enjoy the night life, but they managed to get back to Mike's apartment.

"We're almost there Sweetums," Irina cooed to him as they limped along.

"Just a little farther, and we can all rest Beloved," Xenovia grunted, favoring a slight limp of her own.

"Right…right," Mike huffed. Dammit, why hadn't his healing abilities gotten him well enough to walk on his own yet? This was embarrassing! "Door should be open. Someone's always home…"

Irina got the door and the tree managed to squeeze through, entering the apartment. Sure enough there was someone home, nameless Mike's usual entourage of Viletta, Cornelia, and the two Fallen Angels Mittelt and Kalawarner who seemed to be settled in front of the television in pajamas watching some kind of chick flick.

"LORD SUMMERS!" Villetta screamed, seeing the trio first.

"Huh?" Kalawarner turned and gaped at Mike's condition. "Holy shit!"

Viletta was up and running to Mike's side, helping him stand from the two tired exorcists. Mike grimaced from the handing over, his body still tender from the slugfest that Caligula had treated him to. She quickly brought him over to the couch where she sat him down, helping him lean back. "Lord Summers, who did this to you?!"

"A Heretic God, who else?" Xenovia winced as she and Irina managed to find their own seats on the soft couch. "Worse yet, two of them."

"Woah, wait a sec! You mean _two_ Heretic Gods teamed up and kicked his ass?" Mittelt gaped. She then stopped and gazed at the duo, "And who the heck are you two anyway?"

"Irina Shidou and Xenovia Quarta, correct?" asked Cornelia, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked at the two, carefully looking over them. "You two are the exorcists dispatched by the church to reclaim the stolen Excaliburs."

"That is us," Xenovia nodded.

"Good," Cornelia nodded. "Then explain what happened."

"Very well," the bluenette sighed, wincing as she tried to get more comfortable. "Beloved was working with Irina and I to hunt down leads at a particular church in town while Issei and the Devils were examining the other place Freed has been rumored to appear. We traveled to the old manor and found Freed and Valper Galilei hiding out there."

" _That_ lunatic did all this?" Kalawarner frowned. "Seriously?"

"No way!" Irina huffed. "Sweetums could have totally kicked his butt! We got jumped by two Heretic Gods!"

"Oh no," Villetta paled. "It really was two of them?"

"Caligula and Mordred," Mike grunted. "Kokabiel convinced them to help him out for the Excaliburs and the land Kuoh sits on."

Cornelia frowned, biting her thumb, "This is not good. Mordred is a powerful Heretic God without a doubt. With the legends of King Arthur, Mordred is no doubt going to have just as much might behind him, never mind whatever god he was evolved from. However, I don't think I have ever heard of a Heretic God Caligula before."

"News to me too," Mike nodded. "He was a human, not some kind of demigod despite the airs he gave himself. How'd he somehow become a Heretic God? He sure didn't show it since he ran at the speed of freaking light and raised the fucking dead!"

"He did all that?" Villetta questioned. "That should not be possible. Caligula was a Roman emperor and had no contact with any of those kinds of abilities."

Cornelia frowned, thinking for a moment, "Maybe…but, maybe it is possible…" She thought for a moment before shaking her head, "I will have to look into it. We need to tend to the wounded first. Then we can worry about what we are going to do about the Heretic Gods later."

Mike shifted his seating, "I have one, even if I feel like a heel for thinking of it."

"What plan is that?" asked Kalawarner.

"Just need to make a call to the HCC," Mike answered. "There's someone that I need to talk to and they have the number for them."

* * *

Mike groaned as the daylight seared his eyes, making him groan and rub them to try and make it go away to no avail. After a long night of negotiation and having to explain in detail not just how the fight went, but also how the two Heretic Gods acted and used their abilities, Mike was finally able to get some sleep. Sadly, the night seemed just way too short and suddenly it was daylight again and he was supposed to get up. He had to meet up with the Student Council and the Occult Research Club to try and report everything that happened, especially the fact that the two Heretic Gods had whipped his ass and forced him to run for it.

Sighing, his body came back online and he felt to weights on his chest. His familiarity with it told him that it was too girls under the blanket with him. One had short hair while the other had long hair. He slept shirtless so he was sure of that much. Glimpsing out of his right eye, he saw a blur of blue. He gave a soft sigh and realized that Villetta or Cornelia must have called Yura and told her what had happened. Upset, Yura came over and snuck into bed with him for comfort. The long-haired girl with him must have been Villetta. She easily had the longest hair out of any woman he knew.

Sighing again, Mike let his right hand rest in the mop of blue hair to gently stroke it, offering what comfort a living corpse could offer. He did the same for Villetta, running his fingers through her long tresses to comfort her as well as himself. Last night had been pretty intense and likely she got scared by it as well. It was the least he could do to soothe her after a whole night of fretting over him while his healing kicked in.

"Mn," the bluenette mumbled, hugging him tighter. "Beloved…"

"Feels good," the other girl giggled despite her sleepy state of mind.

Mike grinned, but then stopped. Yura never called him Beloved and Villetta's voice was huskier with maturity, not bright and cheery. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he looked down at who was in bed with him. Sure enough, there was the expected bluenette, but there was a distinct line of green which he could see from his point of view. Turning to his left, he spied long brown tresses, a distinct difference from Viletta's own premature silver hair that helped make her stand out so exotically.

Conclusion? Irina and Xenovia were somehow in his bed with him.

"The heck?" Mike blinked, rubbing his eyes. Was he seeing things? Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he saw that indeed it was the two exorcists who were sharing his bed. It was kind of a surreal moment considering he was sure they weren't _that_ enamoured with him even if they were under the effect of _**Harem of the King**_. The early morning fog in his brain mixed with his utter confusion at the, to him, surreal scene, kept him from flipping out like he may have were his brain firing on all cylinders.

"Mmmn, Sweetums, why'd you stop?" Irina mumbled before she looked up to Mike. Blinking blearily and looking incredibly cute in the process, she wiped her eyes before stopping, "Oh! You are awake. Okay."

"Yeah…" Mike nodded, feeling a little flustered at the moment. "Um…how'd you two get here?"

"Oh, we were just worried about you after you went to bed and Lady Nu said it was fine if we joined you, being sisters now or something like that," Irina smiled.

"I…see," Mike twitched.

"Mmm," Xenovia suddenly mumbled before she sat up, revealing she had modest pajamas on, likely from Mittelt since she was the only girl in the apartment who was the same size as the two exorcists. Although, Mike wanted to know how the two were convinced to take the charity when the clothes had belonged to a Fallen Angel. Of course, he didn't know that as Exorcists, both girls knew how to place blessings and cleansings on objects which may be tainted by unholy powers. After receiving the bedclothes, they blessed them to ensure no influence of the Fallen could touch them before donning them.

The bluenette yawned, coming online much quicker than Mike or Irina, "Good morning Beloved. Was your sleep restful?"

"Until now," Mike admitted. "I wasn't aware what relationship we have got us to this point."

"For the love we have for you, this is minor," Xenovia raised an eyebrow. "As your lovers are we not in the right to be concerned for your well being and take comfort in your presence?"

"After one night?" Mike retorted.

"As the love of God is powerful and given freely even to those who just learn of him, so too is ours for you," Irina beamed, likewise sitting up and showing her own modest pajamas.

"O…kay," Mike blinked. "Anyway, I have to get up. I need food and I have to head to school. Rias and the others need to know what happened with Caligula and Mordred."

"Of course," Xenovia slipped off the bed, allowing Mike to stand up, although he was embarrassed to do so since the only thing he was wearing was his boxers at the moment. Despite the awkwardness he felt, Xenovia didn't seem to be raising an eyebrow although Irina was taking a peek or two while pretending she wasn't. "Thinking back on that, I find it concerning that neither of them tried to pursue us after we tried that distraction."

"Which means they either don't consider us a threat, or plan to finish it some other time," Mike frowned, pulling on his uniform pants as quickly as he could. "Just as well. This gives us a chance to research both of them to try and figure out some weaknesses."

"That will be easy!" Irina smiled, deeming it safe to openly looked as Mike adjusted his belt. "Mordred and Caligula and really well-known so it'll be easy to find texts about them!"

"Modern texts, yes," Mike nodded. "But Heretic Gods are the culmination of all faith and knowledge of the deity in question. Both will have more than just what's known about them right now. They'll have other aspects to them that come from ancient sources and beliefs."

"And that is not counting if they really are Mordred and Caligula rather than aspects of some older, more powerful Heretic Gods," Xenovia added.

"Oh…yeah…right," Irina wilted.

"Researching what is known now is a good place to start," Mike reassured the brunette while he finished getting dressed. "While I'm meeting with Rias and Sona about what to do, perhaps you two can team up to look into Caligula and Mordred? If we want the Excaliburs, we're probably going to have to go through them and Kokabiel to get them."

"Agreed," Xenovia nodded, standing up from the bed. "We will begin immediately. To be forewarned is to be forearmed or so they say."

"You can count on us!" Irina saluted. "So you head to your meeting. Just don't let those Devils tempt you into sin!"

' _Considering our situation, it might be too late for that,_ ' Mike thought as he looked at the two girls who had been sharing his bed, albeit without his knowledge until he woke up, but still… "I'll keep that in mind."

Mike headed out to the kitchen and threw together a small breakfast to himself. Well, not so much small as it was quick, including a large bowl of cereal and some slices of toast. When it was finished, he gave Viletta a kiss before prompted to give Irina and Xenovia the same treatment before he was off. He moved fast, wanting as much time before the bell rang and classes began. He didn't face any problems getting to Kuoh, although he was expecting to get jumped by Heretic Gods since he knew they were in the area. Once he arrived, he went straight to the old school building where he knew the ORC would be. If he guessed right, Sona would be there too just to compare notes with Rias and get a consensus on what their next move would be. Finding the clubroom, he gave it a sharp knock.

"Enter," came Rias' voice. Mike entered the room, immediately finding the ORC in complete attendance, even Kiba. Sitting in one of the armchairs with a cup of tea was of course Sona, looking as poised as she ever did despite how FUBAR the current situation was becoming. "Ah, Lord Summers. We were just talking about you."

"And the situation which has come up last night no doubt," Mike added, approaching the group. "I assume Issei and the others told you what happened until the point we split up?"

"And got my ass whipped too," Issei muttered under his breath, trying to discreetly massage his butt. Mike had to wonder about the comment. Was he spanked or something? Was it a punishment for doing the admittedly risky stunt they all got involved in the previous night? No, Rias wasn't so soft as to just do that, was she? A Devil had to have more sinister punishment for disobedient minions than just some kind of spanking.

"Just as you surmise," Sona nodded. "Were you able to slay either of those Heretic Gods?"

Mike sighed, shaking his head, "No. Got my ass kicked and only slowed them down when Xenovia let me use Excalibur Destruction's full power."

"Wait," Issei blinked. "So that huge ass blast of white light and the tremor going through the ground was you? Holy shit man! We tried to go near it and we couldn't because of all the light magic hanging around! You did that with Xenovia's sword?"

"Yeah," Mike nodded, scooping up a biscuit and nodding to Akeno who smiled happily. Munching on it, he explained, "It let me slow them down long enough for us to get away. But I think they have some kind of plan since they didn't chase us. That or Kokabiel convinced them not to hunt us until next time or something."

"Not good," Koneko frowned.

"No," Kiba agreed. He looked to Mike, "Did they reveal many of their abilities?"

"Yeah. Mordred's I came to expect," Mike explained. "One of his Authorities lets him summon shadow knights from the darkness. I think it stems from how in stories Mordred was able to bring together the knights of the land when he revealed his heritage, making them traitors who couldn't turn back. What they really are though or if that is how the Authority came to be, I don't know."

"Hm," Rias frowned. "And Caligula?"

"Now he's the one that doesn't make sense," Mike frowned, finishing the biscuit and crossing his arms. "He somehow tapped into super speed like Mercury from the Roman pantheon, but then he summoned skeleton legionnaires like he was Pluto or something. Caligula was a Roman emperor and just a man so I don't know how he's able to tap into the other domains of the Roman pantheon like that."

Sona clenched her hands, "Not good. The minions I can understand since both are kingly Heretic Gods, but Mordred has revealed so little of his identity and Caligula has shown such unusual abilities." She looked to Mike, "Lord Summers, I will have my Peerage begin researching both names. Perhaps with that knowledge and your _**Heart of Wisdom**_ you can come up with something."

"I have Villetta and the others at my place doing the same," Mike nodded. "I also called for some possible backup in case things really get out of control."

"Really? Who?" asked Rias.

"You'll know them when you see them," Mike answered vaguely. "It's really hard to miss them or so I'm told. I just hope it won't be necessary for them to get involved. It'll be chaotic enough."

"True, we are in a pinch now," Rias sighed. "Since this no longer involves just the Church and the Fallen, Sona and I have decided to get involved in these matters. As such, we've all had our Familiars begin scouring the city for clues and leads on where Freed and Valper are hiding out. With Kokabiel bringing Heretic Gods, we don't have a choice."

"Right," Mike nodded. Suddenly the weight really began to fall on his shoulders. With the majority of his friends being Devils, it would basically rest on his own shoulders to beat Mordred and Caligula. It was a daunting task in itself and unlike his siblings, he didn't have any purely offensive Authorities, or at least ones specifically meant for battle. He could adapt them for battle, but it just wasn't the same. Both of the Heretic Gods were particularly known for fighting and would no doubt have abilities connected to that. It wasn't going to be an easy fight for Mike, he knew that from the get go.

At that moment, it officially sucked to be a Campione.

* * *

Mike didn't feel like he could concentrate for the rest of the day so it passed both in a daze and in an agonizing slow pace. Finally, the final bell rang and he could leave. He immediately got up and headed for the front gates, wanting to get back home and see if any of his housemates were able to discover anything of importance in their research into Mordred and Caligula. He knew a rematch was immanent since Heretic Gods were not the types to be patient. They'd want his death and quickly. If Kokabiel managed to get them onto his side them there was going to be something big going with their arrival.

"Yoohoo! Sweetums!"

Mike blinked, broken from his introspection at the cheer. Looking around, he spotted Irina walking towards him, cloak and all with the usual happy smile on her lips. A little confused, but at the same time happy to see a friend, he approached her, "Hey Irina. What brings you over here? I thought you were all researching Mordred and Caligula."

"Yeah, but once Viletta told us school was going to let out I decided to come escort you," Irina smiled. "I mean, Heretic Gods don't exactly wait for people to get scarce before they try something."

"True, but I don't think I rate an escort," Mike began. "But I guess doing nothing but research tends to get a little boring."

"Oh yeah," Irina agreed.

The two began walking back in the direction of Mike's apartment. To keep things from getting silent, Mike decided to just talk about whatever came to mind, "So Irina, you knew Issei back when you guys were just little kids, right?"

"Oh sure! We'd hang out all the time," Irina smiled.

"Did he always have an obsession with boobs back then or was that just a puberty thing?" asked Mike, a little curious. Issei's utter obsession with the female body was just unnatural and Mike found himself curious as to how it all began.

"Hm, you know, I think he did," Irina pondered. "When we'd make sand castles together he'd always end up making two piles next to each other. In hindsight they did kind of look like boobs. And he'd always hug some of the bustier mothers and say he mistook them for his mother too. I think he just liked how soft boobs were you know?"

"Wow…" Mike blinked. "I guess then once puberty hit there was no saving him."

"I know. I'm such an awful friend," Irina teared up, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief like some tragic heroine. "My parents and I tried so hard to show him and his family the light of God. We failed at every turn and now our failure is even worse since Issei has truly fallen into the hands of the Devils now. His perversion now knows no bounds now that he is being influenced by the sinful ways of Devils! Oh God in his divine wisdom please forgive Issei for his foolishness!" She finished by clasping her hands together and looking to the sky for God's guidance to help her friend.

"Um…" Mike raised an eyebrow. "Well, Issei was an unrepentant pervert way before he became a Devil so I don't think Rias did much to him besides give him wings. But whatever…"

The pair kept walking, turning onto the street as they talked a little about themselves. Mike learned a little bit more about Irina, who was as expected someone who had strong faith in God. Still, sometimes she would get a little overenthusiastic about the saints and such. It was why she and Xenovia had run out of money so fast. Irina bashfully admitted she'd impulsively bought a painting of a saint which was back at the abandoned church although she couldn't concretely say which saint it was. Mike had to struggle not to chuckle at the story since when Irina described the painting, even he could tell that it wasn't meant to be a religious portrait and he hadn't even seen it.

The duo continued walking, coming on to the street where they were calling home for the moment. They had begun talking about what Mike's home country was like when it suddenly hit them. An overwhelming power suddenly flooded the area. Irina shivered almost uncontrollable from it. Mike on the other hand felt the sudden urge to lash out and attack something. To him, the power reeked of tainted divinity. It was a feeling he knew very well, having been living with two Fallen Angels for some time. However, the power he was currently feeling was in a way different league than Mittelt or Kalawarner. The gap between the two was so big it just wasn't funny.

"This…this is…" Irina gasped.

"I think it's Koka-!"

 ***BOOM!***

Suddenly the top floor of Mike's apartment let off a blast of light and all of the windows were blown out in an explosion which could be heard throughout the district. Mike felt his stomach drop like a rock, barely hearing Irina cry out in horror next to him. He quickly snapped out of it and ran for the building, Irina close behind. They ignored the sounds of people in fear and brushed past people who were coming out to see what had happened. Getting into the apartment building itself was difficult since there was a flood of people coming out. Still, they fought through it and stormed up the stairs. Coming up to the door at the top floor, Mike didn't bother with using it, but instead kicked it open.

"Ah, you've finally come. I was getting a little bored waiting for you, Eighth."

Ten apartment was a loss, everything scorched or broken from an explosion or possibly a fight. Littering it though were the bodies of Mike's friends. Cornelia was on the ground in the living room, a broken tablet next to her. Likely she had been taken by surprise by the sudden assault. Mittelt and Kalawarner was tossed away like trash in a corner, battered, bruised, and bloody from the beating they took and the explosion they suffered through. Villetta and Xenovia were still conscious, but just as battered and were on the ground, unable to move and looked barely able to speak.

The one at the far end of the apartment where a hole was blown through the wall was the one who was really getting Mike's attention. He stood tall and proud, wearing what looked to be an expensive black suit with wide golden lapels. His posture showed nothing but complete confidence in himself and perfect acceptance and even joy in the carnage around him. His features were handsome, with pale skin, chiseled good looks, and lock black hair which reached his shoulders. The rest hung down his back in a bushy tangle. However, the features were twisted by madness as he had an evil sneer on his lips and his eyes were blood red around his pupils. What really stood out though was the eight black feather wings coming from his back and the fact that he had Rapidly and Destruction in his hands.

"Kokabiel I presume," Mike scowled, his fingers itching to begin a fight.

"The very same," the Fallen Angel grinned, his voice deep and commanding. "I hope you don't mind but I came to reclaim my property with interest."

"Oh, I do mind," Mike growled, his body lighting up with golden power. "I mind very much!"

"Heh! Good eyes, but a poor place to pick a fight with me," Kokabiel laughed. "I know about your Authorities. Hard not to when you announced which Heretic Gods you killed and what they gave you during that little Rating Game you played with the Devils. _**Bonds of Brotherhood**_ needs a sacrifice of quality food to work and _**The King's Treasury**_ needs you to be contact with the earth, neither of which you have access to here. I doubt _**The King's Steed**_ will be of much help in this space so you're at quite the disadvantage."

"Tsk!" Mike growled, but he didn't let the aura let up. "For a guy who wants war, you don't seem eager to fight."

"Oh I'm plenty eager, but I know there's a time and place for everything," Kokabiel chuckled. "To be honest I was hoping my war would begin already. I didn't really bother covering my tracks when I stole those Excaliburs so I was hoping that Michael would come down off his high horse and fight me. Sadly, all he sent were a pair of bratty exorcists, although I do appreciate those fellows in the church who sabotaged them to inspire the Angels to fight me."

"So…we really were sabotaged?!" Irina gasped.

"Of course you were," Kokabiel snorted, sparing only a momentary glance at Irina. "Plenty in the Church want a war just as badly as I do. It was that way even before the Church rose, back before even I fell! Humans, always so predictable and eager to please a higher power."

"And you were gearing up for a war when you tried to steal Twilight Healing and destroy Boosted Gear," Mike frowned. "All so your side could get more power before the conflict started, or at least keep the really good stuff out of the hands of the other factions."

Kokabiel's smirk grew, "The Wisdom of Solomon indeed. That is partially true. Having such resources would have been handy, but I don't care much for Sacred Gears. That operation was more of a whim than anything else and if it inspired my Fallen to side with me then so be it. I only began the operation hoping to tweak that brat Rias' nose and get her crying to her big brother. Tensions would be sure to rise considering how much he dotes on her and how obvious it was that Fallen Angels were behind it."

"Only Rias didn't run to Sirzechs and then you must have stumbled onto Valper somewhere," Mike continued. "His research into the Excaliburs would have made it easy for human members of the Grigori to wield those swords for you. Better yet, a Fallen steals them to bring in the Angels then kills the sister of a Maou with it, it'll be a three-way war all over again."

"Exactly! Just what I want!" Kokabiel laughed, a mad gleam entering his eyes at the carnage. "But now, now it's even better! With a Campione in this area, I could even bring Heretic Gods in on this party! This war will be even more grand since the Campione will _have_ to get involved from start to finish! Then the Heretic Gods will take part and bring even more carnage! More humans will get involved, more Campione will be born, and even more Heretic Gods will come to fight them! A never ending cycle of war! It's beautiful!"

"You're insane!" Irina barked, finally bringing out Excalibur Mimic from its ribbon form.

"Insane? No, I just know the true nature of the world. War is a constant in nature and we shall never escape it. I am merely accepting of it and have found some joy in it as well," Kokabiel sneered. "But don't worry. I am not without mercy. I used to be an Angel after all. I'm going to complete my final plans at Kuoh Academy tonight. You can find me there and you're more than welcome to try and stop me. Mordred and Caligula are just itching for round two."

"I'll be there, and I'll take you **down**!" Mike growled.

"Good," the Fallen Angel grinned. "Now I must be off. More invitations to pass out. See you tonight, Campione." With a flap of his wings, Kokabiel took off into the darkening sky, leaving his victims and soon to be opponents behind.

Mike didn't stand by and watch him go like some dramatic scene. He was immediately running to Xenovia and Villetta's sides, checking on their conditions. As he began looking over their injuries, he made a silent promise.

He would make Kokabiel pay.

* * *

 **Kuoh Academy**

Night had fallen by the time that Mike and Irina approached Kuoh Academy. For lack of better options, Mike had called in help from the HCC to let his friends stay and recover at one of their shrines provided they didn't need any emergency medical attention. The healing spells and abilities of the priestess at the shrine would help with any wounds. That left Mike and Irina to head to Kuoh Aacademy where they knew Kokabiel would be waiting for them, along with his backup.

Approaching the school, Mike saw that there were others there already. More specifically, the members of the ORC and the Student Council were in attendance with their leaders speaking about something. They immediately took notice of the duo as they approached. Mike huffed and asked, "Kokabiel send you his little invitations too?"

"He did," Rias nodded. "He plans to spark off his war here, starting with Kuoh."

"Needless to say, this is phenomenally bad," Sona added. "If a Fallen Angel of Kokabiel's level were to unleash his full power, not only would the school, but the entire town would be wiped out. The other Factions would have no choice but to retaliate and begin the war that lunatic craves."

"He also plans to take advantage of the Campione birth cycle," Mike added. "By starting it in the human world with Heretic Gods getting involved, humans will have to fight. Eventually some humans will bring down those Heretic Gods and become Campione. This will cause more Heretic Gods to get involved and it will force more humans to fight and make even more Campione, making the cycle go in an endless loop."

"Holy shit," Saji gulped, pale at the thought, not that his president or Rias were far behind even if they hid it better.

"His heresy knows no bounds! We have to stop him!" Irina frowned deeply, looking far more serious than anyone had seen her look before.

"Yeah!" Issei agreed, but then stopped when he realized something. "Hey wait, where's Xenovia? She should be here too!"

"I'm right…here."

Mike and Irina's eyes widened and they turned to see none other than the bluenette in her full exorcist garb walking slowly towards them, for once not holding her sword. Mike gasped when he saw her and Irina was already dashing to her side. Although there weren't any visible wounds on the exorcist, something about her walk told her that she wasn't feeling her best. Mike approached in concern, "Xenovia, you got your ass kicked and seriously hurt. You need to recover!"

"I have recovered enough thanks to the History Compilation Committee," Xenovia insisted. "This mission is my entire reason for being here and I will not stand by because of a few bumps and scrapes."

"Xenovia, you were practically blown up!" Mike insisted. "And you don't have a sword to fight with now."

At this, Xenovia smirked, "Have you forgotten your blessing to me, Beloved? I am much better prepared for the conflict than I was before. Besides, Excalibur Destruction was not the only Holy Sword I have access to. Losing Destruction is indeed a blow to us, but it by no means a crippling one."

Mike frowned, but he could easily tell Xenovia would not be moved from her course. Sighing, he shook his head, "Well, if I can't make you change your mind then you'd be better sticking with us. But we're all a team on this. No going alone and hoping for some kind of glory."

"The only glory I am interested in is God's," Xenovia nodded. "I can remember my humility."

"Fine," Mike nodded, but stopped when he heard some of the girls chuckle. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Rias and Akeno looking quite amused at the sight. Yura seemed to be sporting a gleam in her eyes while Tsubaki was…gritting her teeth? Weird. Turning back to the group, Mike faced the collected Devils, "Okay. So what's the plan now?"

"We have to stop Kokabiel, but it won't be easy since he has Heretic Gods with him," Sona frowned, glancing back at the school. "Myself and my Peerage will create a barrier which will keep anyone from discovering what is happening as well as keep any destruction inside the school grounds…much as I loathe to see such damage happen."

"The rest of us will be on offense," Rias added her two cents. "Lord Michel, I'm sorry to do this but due to our nature as Devils we will have no choice but to leave the two Heretic Gods in your hands."

Mike nodded, "No. It's fine. I have backup coming anyway."

"Backup?" asked Sona. "This mysterious backup you mentioned before?"

"I called him after Kokabiel made his invitation," Mike nodded. "He should be here soon so prepare to let the barrier down when he gets here or he might accidentally tear it down and really let this mess spill out. Wanton destruction has a habit of following him more than any of us."

"Wait, you don't mean…?" Sona's eyes widened in surprise, and perhaps a bit of horror.

"Aniki," Mike nodded. "But that's how it's going to go with the Heretic Gods. What about Kokabiel? Please tell me you two let your siblings know what's going on."

"Well…" Sona winced.

"You see…" Rias began.

"I already took the liberty of contacting Lord Lucifer and bringing him up to date on the situation," Akeno supplied. Rias whirled around, looking outraged at her Queen. Despite this, Akeno looked as calm as ever as she faced her King. "Rias, I know you don't want to bother your family after the issues with the Phenix engagement, but this isn't some little squabble. Kokabiel is a class of power very few can match, much less overcome and we are not among them. So please Rias, accept your brother's help!"

Rias grimaced, obviously not liking the idea. Being the little sister of a Maou, Rias had a large shadow to navigate, everyone either expecting big things from her or expecting nothing at all and getting through life while coasting on her brother's name. As a result, Rias had a fierce independent streak and preferred to tackle her own problems without her family lending a hand if she could help it. Now though, she didn't have much of a choice. A Fallen Angel like Kokabiel would give Sirzechs trouble. He wasn't a foe Rias could tackle on her own.

"...very well," Rias sighed. "What did Sirzechs say about the situation."

Akeno smiled, reverting to her regular mellow persona, "Lord Lucifer is already scrounging reinforcements, but it will be an hour before any organized response will be able to come here."

"An hour? Then we will have to hold out that long," Sona nodded, although she did not look eager to experience holding a spell for that long.

"Then our offense will be geared to keeping Kokabiel from beginning his war plans," Rias nodded. She looked to the rest of her Peerage, "Alright everyone! This won't be like the Rating Game with Riser. This will be a battle for life and death that we cannot afford to lose. Is everyone prepared?"

"Yes!" the Gremory Peerage declared proudly.

"You two ready?" Mike asked the two exorcists.

"Yes!" the two girls nodded.

*SHOOOOM!*

Conversation halted as a pillar of light rose up from behind Kuoh Academy. The Devils cringed at the sight of it, feeling the holy magic even from where they were standing. Mike began to tense up, feeling in his bones the power of a divine item growing stronger.

"I think it's game on now," Mike frowned at the sight.

 **To Be Continued…**

 **A/N: Well, the battle for Kuoh Academy and the safety of the world is on. Still, it's not going to be easy with two Heretic Gods backing Kokabiel and Mike knows he's got his own limits. His backup is on the way and with any luck they can hold the murderous duo off long enough for them to arrive. As it is, Rias and the others have their work cut out for them dealing with the forces Kokabiel has left and anyone with experience in DxD will know what they're packing.**


	13. Zero Hour

**I do not own High School DxD or Campione. Those belong to their respective creators and not me. I am only writing this for fun and not for any kind of profit. If you have a problem with this then you can go read something else. As for those who remain, please enjoy the beginning of the grand battle for Kuoh Academy**

 **Godslayer DxD**

 **By Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Chapter 13: Zero Hour**

With the pillar of light erupting behind Kuoh Academy, the Student Council was quick to create their array which would form a protective barrier around the school. The Occult Research Club along with Mike and his two ladies were quick to enter before the barrier was formed. Knowing that they had the time, Kokabiel actually wanting everyone to take their time so he could get a fulfilling fight, the combined group headed through Kouh's main doors as they headed for the sports fields where the light was coming from.

"Okay everyone," Rias spoke. "This is it. This won't be like the Rating Game with Riser. Our opponents are truly out to kill us this time and if we get hurt, we will likely die. So with that in mind, none of you have my permission to die, understand?"

"Hai Buchou!" the group called as one.

"Well said," Mike nodded before he looked to the two Exorcists. "Xenovia, Irina, our job is to make sure Mordred and Caligula are far enough away their aura doesn't begin poisoning the others and hampering their ability to fight. So either we have them chase us, or we keep pushing them until they're clear across the school property so Rias and the others can fight without being distracted."

"Yes Beloved/Okay Sweetums!" both girls nodded.

"Bastard, snagging two hotties at once," Issei muttered under his breath. Apparently imminent death wasn't even enough to have him forget his perverted thoughts.

"Issei," Rias continued, interrupting Issei's harem thoughts. "You're on defense this time. I want you to Promote yourself to Queen and once we step out there immediately begin collecting boosts so you can transfer them to us. Understand?"

"You got it," Issei nodded back. " _Promotion: Queen!_ "

"Good boy," Rias smiled, but then turned grim. "Alright everyone. This is it. We have to hold out at least long enough for Godou Kusanagi arrive, although ideally we can wait for Sirzechs and his men to bring the cavalry. So focus on the offense and keep our enemies from doing anything but fighting us, understand?"

"Got it!"

The group exited the back of the school and came to the sports fields. Immediately they could see some kind of magic array hovering in the sky being funneled lines of power from a matching one on the ground. Although they couldn't see Valper too well from the distance, the group could see he was enacting some kind of ritual.

"What is that?" Asia asked timidly.

"Oh, just a ritual to forcibly unite the four Excaliburs into one. Valper just couldn't help himself when he had so many of the swords in his hands," a dark and familiar voice chuckled from above. The group turned to the source, finding a floating pillar of exquisitely carved stone hovering in the air with a throne set on the top. Sitting in it was Kokabiel himself.

"Kokabiel," Rias scowled at the Fallen.

"So, go to big brother yet? How soon can he get here? Or will it be Serafall Leviathan coming to keep me entertained?" Kokabiel grinned.

"Sirzechs felt he needed time to get a proper welcoming committee together," Mike grinned, stepping up next to Rias. "Give it an hour or so and he'll gladly meet you head on. In the meantime, we'll be keeping you entertained."

"Oh? Well then, try this on for size!" Kokabiel lifted an arm, lazily really, before a massive double-pointed spear made of light with rings around the shafts appeared. With a gesture of his hand, Kokabiel threw it not at the group of enemies, but at the gym building. No one had time to comment before the attack struck, causing an explosion which knocked everyone aback and left a smoking crater, but no remains behind.

"Damn," Mike grimaced. Granted he'd seen destruction before, but even Heretic Gods usually knew to temper their destructive impulses. Kokabiel didn't have that kind of restraint and it was all pointed at them.

"Heh! Not bad. You didn't wet yourselves," Kokabiel grinned. "Well since you came all this way, I may as well oblige you. King Mordred! Caesar Caligula!"

A blast of divine power blanketed the area as in a haze of red smoke and a burst of speed, the two Heretic Gods appeared a few feet away from Mike and Rias. The sudden burst of power caused all of the Devils to begin choking or double over. Mike growled, his fists clenching as his instincts demanded him to fight.

" **Oh, what's wrong? Are the children not feeling well?** " Caligula mocked.

" **Hmph! Unimpressive,** " Moredred snorted. " **However, as a knight I at least can allow for some concessions so all of my opponents can say they at least had a chance at victory, however minuscule.** "

Mordred waved his arm as did Caligula and as suddenly as it appeared, the overwhelming pressure of the Heretic Gods' divine power vanished. Rias and her Peerage suddenly felt their sickness vanish and they were able to get their footing back again.

"Why help us?" Rias asked suspiciously.

" **It wouldn't be fun otherwise,** " Caligula laughed.

" **Indeed, but now that the conditions have been set,** " Mordred turned his gaze to Mike and summoned his sword. " **Let us begin!** "

"Gladly!" Mike scowled, slamming his palms into the ground. The soil immediately ruptured as pillars of marble burst from the ground at an angle, launching themselves at both Heretic Gods. The pillars didn't hit, but it did force both of Mike's enemies to leap away, giving him more room to fight. "Irina, with me! Xenovia, whatever backup weapon you've got, get it out now!"

"Yes Beloved!" Xenovia nodded. As Mike and Irina charged into the fray, Xenovia lifted her hand, summoning a golden array of obvious holy power. " _Peter, Basil, Dionysus, and lastly, the Virgin Mary. Lend thine ears to my humble request._ " In the centre of the circle, a golden handle and handguard emerged, allowing Xenovia to take hold. It was wrapped in chains, likely holy seals of some kind. " _I wield this blade in the name of the saints who dwell within it!_ " A sharp tug pulled out a massive blue and gold sword, breaking the chains which held it in place. It looked like it should have been too heavy to hold, but Xenovia gripped it easily. " _Durandal!_ "

"Oooh, interesting," Kokabiel grinned, watching Xenovia draw her sword before dashing off after Mike and Irina. "Well then, how to best entertain the rest of you? Oh, I know. How about my favorite pets?"

A blast of energy fired down from Kokabiel's pillar, striking the ground before create a green magic circle around a deep hole. The ORC didn't get a moment to ask when a pillar of fire erupted from the hole, showing the shadows of multiple dogs. As it died, they gasped when the dogs that emerged were proven to be massive, at least as large as a semi truck and each sporting three heads that spewed flames as they snarled.

"He…he summoned cerberi?!" Rias gasped.

"Cerber-what?" Issei asked, confused.

"They are the hounds of the Underworld, the guard dogs who ensure that the damned stay where they are and cannot escape from their eternal punishment," Akeno explained, frowning at the sight of the beasts. "Summoning them to the human world is strictly forbidden."

"Exactly. So let's send them back!" Rias ordered, summoning an orb of her power. "Issei, get boosting!"

"Right! _Boosted Gear!_ " Issei called up his Sacred Gear, causing it to activate, " **Boost!** "

"Let's go Occult Research Club!" Rias called, unfolding her wings and taking to the sky.

* * *

" **Armor of the Wiseman!** " Mike called, arming himself with his familiar suit of golden armor. Twin swords burst from the ground, immediately grasped in his hands. He didn't stop his charge as he ran at Mordred and Caligula.

" **Ah, so this will be our Field of Mars then?** " Caligula grinned, suddenly summoning a Roman gladius sword to his hand. " **I shall happily oblige!** "

"HRAAAAH!" Mike roared, slashing hard at Caligula, the Roman emperor blocking the blow with ease and a laugh.

"AMEN!" Irina called, taking her blade to Mordred. The black knight snorted and blocked the katana in a flash of sparks. The divine core of the blade allowed Excalibur Mimic to survive a clash with the corrupted Clarent, eliciting another hateful scream of steel from the blades.

" **Fitting the last free Excalibur here is my opponent!** " Mordred taunted before pushing Irina back. " **Sadly you are an unfit opponent to be wielding it!** "

"Hey, I am worthy of wielding this blade! Archangel Michael blessed me and-!" Irina began.

" **Oh spare me! I am not one of you blindly led sheep. I can immediately tell that you are a false bearer,** " Mordred interrupted her. " **You were implanted with an infusion of light-based power, one of the aspects which compose Excalibur's very origins. It allows you to use a fraction of its power, but you are very far from being considered worthy of using the blade's true power!** "

"Then have a taste of _my_ blade!" Xenovia roared, leaping over the battle with her massive blade, forcing Mordred to block the blow as she came back down. "The Holy Sword Durandal!"

Mordred's Clarent and Xenovia's Durandal both gave off more shrieks as the blessed blade met the corrupted one. Still, the hateful shrieking from both swords didn't come near to the kind given off when the dark sword and an Excalibur met each other.

" **Ah, Durandal is it? I barely recognized it,** " Mordred chuckled as he pressed his sword against Xenovia's, almost enjoying the sounds of the shrieking steel. " **You mortals have a way of tainting anything you get your hands on, don't you?** "

"Tainted?!" Xenovia growled. "I will show you tainted!"

"Don't forget about me!" Irina added, heading another charge for the black knight.

The clashes rang through the air as divine blade met divine blade, the bearers trying to kill one another before Kokabiel's plans could come to fruition and the Kuoh area getting levelled, heralding the beginning of a new war between Paradiso, Inferno, and everything inbetween.

" **Oh this is boring me! You're not fit for anything more than a gladiator battle!** " Caligula huffed as he and Mike crossed blades. He kicked Mike in the chest, pushing the Campione back before he dismissed his sword. " **You're only fit to be killed by my common soldiers!** "

With that, Caligula slammed his fist to the ground, causing it to rumble before blasts of dirt and soil heralded the arrival of more skeletal Roman soldiers. They moaned as their bones creaked while they stood, drawing their swords and beginning to close their ranks in on Mike.

"Great," Mike huffed, but this time he had come prepared. Reaching to his side, his armor opened slightly to allow him to pull out a small bag filled with what appeared to be portions of Cornelia's preferred French cuisine. Mike tossed the bag high into the air before calling out his next words, " _I call out to my closest allies, comrades through life and death, the ones who are my brothers in all but blood! Come to my call, the enemy awaits us amidst the cries of sorrow from the masses! Let us heed that cry!_ "

The bag flashed before three portals summoned the tiny forms of Inumaru, Sarumaru, and Torimaru. They ripped open the bag before devouring a fair portion of the food inside. In a second flash, the immense forms of the Dog, Monkey, and Pheasant landed with heavy slams, knocking over some of the undead soldiers as the car-sized Three Companions stood at Mike's side.

"Sic 'em!" Mike ordered, pointing at the soldiers. It was all the command that the three needed as they tore into the ranks of soldiers with roars of bestial fury. The soldiers attempted to fight like any true Roman soldier would, but in the end they were mere spiritual servants while the Three Companions were divine beasts. Their swords could not even cut hair nor feather of the beasts while the bails and talons of the animals crushed their bones and armor.

" **Ah, a master of beasts as well? You're a man of many talents,** " Caligula grinned. He raised his fists, his leather gloves creaking with the pressure he was putting them under. " **Well, since you seem so intent to fight, I shall oblige you. Let's see if you are truly worthy of my blade!** "

"Just watch me!" Mike roared, lunging for Caligula once again.

* * *

As the battle with the Heretic Gods began, the Occult Research Club took their battle to the cerberi.

"Have some thunder!"

"Take this!"

" **Boost!** "

Rias and Akeno flew above the battle, launching attacks down at the three-headed dogs. The beasts certainly felt it, roaring in pain, but they didn't take it lying down. Their mouths spewed flames and one or two of the heads would shoot streams of infernal fire, forcing the two beauties to fly lest they get struck. Even if they were Devils, the flames from such powerful beasts were still something that could hurt even them.

Down below, Issei held back, trying to concentrate on boosting as much as he could so he could transfer it over to his friends. He cursed the fact that he was so weak, needing to take so much time to just get enough for one transfer. If he was stronger, he could have boosted to the right level and already have given everyone the push they needed to bring down the dogs of hell so they could move on and stop whatever ritual Valper and Freed were up to.

"Flame Eraser!" Kiba yelled, summoning a sword which looked like it was made from volcanic rock. A Cerberus spewed a stream of flame at him, but the sword reacted and seemed to suck up the flames, causing the blade to glow with the stolen heat. Kiba smirked and dashed by the beast, leaving a burning wound in the monster's hide, causing it to screech in pain. It didn't get to screech for long before Koneko leaped to one of its heads and smashed a kick into it's skull, knocking it to the side in heap of blood and fur.

" **Boost!** "

"Dammit, still not yet?' Issei cringed, looking down at Boosted Gear.

"KYAAAA!"

Issei turned around, his heart stopping as he heard Asia's scream. There, another Cerberus was stalking towards the former nun. Its jaws were drooling as it stalked towards her, obviously eager for a victim to chew on.

"ASIA!" Issei shouted, running to try and protect the blonde girl.

A blur of white moved in one the dog and suddenly, the Cerberus was kicked in it's head, knocking it off balance with a cry of pain as Koneko landed, looking at the beast with more than a little dislike. If Issei didn't know better, he was sure Koneko would have been spitting or hissing at the thing as she glared at it.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Y-yes. Thank you Koneko," Asia nodded, trying to calm her beating heart.

"Yeah, thanks," Issei sighed in relief.

" **Boost**!"

At that cry, the gem in Boosted Gear began to shine as a dragon-like emblem began to shine within it. Issei blinked, shielding his eyes from the bright light, "Hey Ddraig, what's going on?"

" **It's an indicator that you've achieved enough boosts to be able to transfer them,** " the dragon within Issei's Sacred Gear replied.

"Wow, didn't know that little feature," Issei grinned. Pretty convenient!

" **Sacred Gears are funny that way. If your will is strong enough, and you yourself can back it up, they can do pretty much anything. Now get moving!** "

"Right!" Issei grinned before dashing to where Rias and Akeno were busy with their own beasts, "Rias! Akeno! I'm ready to do my thing!"

Rias smiled, looking over her shoulder to Issei, "Good boy!"

"Oooh, fun!" Akeno giggled.

Both girls swooped down to Issei and landed, allowing Issei to reach them. Both girls joined hands before Issei placed his Boosted Gear on top, "Here we go! Boosted Gear: Gift!"

" **Transfer!** "

Both Rias and Akeno were suddenly engulfed in a green aura which sent their own power levels rocketing. However, it had the added effect of causing them to both moan in pleasure at having so much seductive power coursing through their bodies. It was a sound that Issei mentally filed away to fluster over later when he had a chance to reflect in his gentlemen folder.

"Oh that feels so good," Akeno purred, licking her lips. "Now I'm all worked up!"

"Definitely," Rias agreed with an excited grin. "Akeno, let's send these mutts packing!"

"Oh yes!" the secret sadist grinned, looking to the approaching beasts, "Ufu fu fu fu!"

Incredibly, the cerberi stopped their approach and began to look nervous in the face of Akeno's rising bloodlust.

"Didn't see that coming," Issei grimaced, remembering just why Rias referred to her Queen as 'The Ultimate S.'

Rias quickly collected her magic power and summoned a magic seal of her clan. A single thrust of her hand sent it spinning, placing it between her and the hounds of hell. Akeno likewise took her shot, collected a bolt of thunder down from the sky as if she were a storm goddess, letting it collect in her hand.

"Time to _punish_ these bad dogs!" she grinned before launching the attack.

The attack itself, looking like Akeno had harnessed the lightning from it's very source, flew for the devilish dogs. It struck Rias' seal first before erupting from the other side as a beam of pure power. The cerberi let out snarls and cries of beastial rage, but it was all they could do before they were engulfed by it. Their silhouettes could be seen, but even those were wiped away before the beam ended. All that remained was a smoking trench.

"Holy shit…" Issei gaped.

"Hm, my best work yet," Akeno tittered, licking her lips.

"Okay, two down," Rias nodded. "What about the others-?"

" **Sword Birth!** "

Six howls of agony ripped through the air, causing the group to turn to see what had happened. Not too far away, the last two of the cerberi were shown to be skewered on an obscene number of blades which erupted from the ground. The monsters let out howls of agony before they erupted into pillars of flame which burned themselves out.

"Never mind," Rias smiled in pride for her Peerage's skills. "Now, how about Lord Summers and the exorcists?"

"Well, I can see them from here," Akeno observed, looking to where Mike had sent the Heretic Gods to fight. "One is missing and-!"

*WHOOOOM!*

* * *

 **As the O.R.C. fights…**

The battle with the Heretic Gods was not faring much progress for Mike and the exorcists. Caligula was proving to be a frustrating foe as he seemed to have turned into some kind of war machine, able to block and parry all attacks coming at him like he was a war god. Mike and Xenovia were sweating, feeling winded from fighting for so long and getting nowhere despite what tricks they were pulling. Even the Three Companions weren't helping, only alleviating some of the pressure from Caligula's attacks. Perhaps they scored some strikes, but Caligula then adapted to their tactics and more often than not, the animals were being thrown into each other.

Worse, Mike had lost track of Mordred and Irina, making him more impatient to end the fight so they could go fight the black knight before he killed Irina.

" **Beasts are nothing to the master of the hunt!** " Caligula laughed as he dodged a swipe from Inumaru. Laughing, he spun around and manifested a hunting bow and arrow. Quickly loading up a shot, he fired it, piercing Inumaru's side with ferocious accuracy. The wolf yelped in pain before dissolving into gold specks.

"Inumaru!" Mike cried out.

" **And for my next trick!** " Caligula laughed, launching two more arrows. He fired the first, striking Sarumaru in the heart, eliciting a feral cry. He then spun around, firing another shot which struck Torimaru, knocking the bird out of the sky. Both beasts likewise vanished into golden dust, ending their participation.

"No!" Mike cried out before dashing at the Heretic God. "Bastard!"

Caligula blocked the strike of a golden sword with his blow, but the block was awkward. Grunting, he twisted Mike to the side, parrying the blow. He barely had enough time to push the Campione away before Xenovia came down with a war cry and slashing attack of her own. This time Caligula did not block, but instead dodged, rolling away before he got to his feet.

" **I am actually amused,** " he chuckled. " **You are slowly proving yourself worthy of fighting the likes of Mars!** " The bow vanished and Caligula punched Xenovia in the abdomen, causing her to gag before she flew back from the force. He didn't get the chance to pursue before Mike came at him again with a slash of his sword.

"HRAH!"

* * *

Irina grunted as she struggled to block another blow from Mordred. Sweat was dripping down her face and body, causing the cuts on her body to sting quite prominently. Her arms were sore like she had gone on a hundred spars with Griselda Quarta without a break. Worse, she could tell the whole time that Mordred wasn't taking her very seriously. The fact that he was only using one hand to swing his sword was enough of a clue for that.

" **HA! You're an amusing wench**!" Mordred chuckled as the two let their sword clash, the blades screaming with hate against one another. Mordred put more force into his arm and pushed Irina back where she stumbled slightly. Mordred merely slung his sword on his shoulder, eyeing her, " **You know, it need not be this way. I find you are actually a rare sort of woman. If you submit that Excalibur to me and swear your loyalty, I would happily take you as my mistress for my new kingdom.** "

"Ugh! As if!" Irina huffed. What a perv! Well, plenty of the pagan gods were known for their libidos so she really shouldn't have been surprised. "I have my Sweetums and he is all the man I'll ever want!"

" **Oh, too bad** ," Mordred shook his head. " **Then I shall simply have to end you and take which is mine!** " Mordred adjusted his stance and a black aura began to come from his armor, making him that much harder to see, " _ **I don this armor of darkness and dishonor. I shall throw away my pride. I shall discard my honor. To walk in the path of the black knight I shall pay the price to bring about my complete victory!**_ "

Irina grimaced, knowing she was in for an even harder fight than before. Deciding to try and keep Mordred from actually attack, thinking the Authority was an offensive one, she charged straight for the black knight, he weapon raised for another strike. Anything to keep Mordred pinned down and from going all out!

And suddenly, she lost track of Mordred.

"Huh?" Irina blinked before a slash at her side cut into her flesh. "AUGH!

Irina stumbled back, her mind a haze of pain and confusion. It wasn't that she had taken her eyes off the black knight. She saw him move, but at the same time she just couldn't keep track of him. As a trained swordswoman, she was of course trained to keep her eye and recognize her opponent's movement. However, when she tried to do that with Mordred, it was like she just couldn't understand despite the motions of an attack all being there.

" **Confused? I do not blame you,** " Mordred chuckled. " **Allow me to enlighten you this much. When one casts away all to don the mantle of the black knight, one privilege is the means of being undetectable.** "

"Wha-?" Irina blinked, wincing as she tried to take another stance. Struggling to remember about black knights, she recalled some of the things she read. No matter how often black knights appeared, they were always able to challenge the heroes even though the heroes were incredible. Black knights were always able to get the jump on the heroes. Black knights were always able to score critical hits.

…and in later stories, Mordred was equated with the black knight.

"Oh no," she winced as it dawned on her.

" **Ah, so you understand, if only a little,** " Mordred chuckled. " **At least you have that before the spark of your life is snuffed out.** "

Mordred began moving again, forcing Irina to try and move with her instincts rather than any kind of tell which Mordred would give off with his movements. Her sword clanged off of Mordred's a few times, so her instinct was serving her well. However, more slashes broke through her guard, cutting into her skin with splashes of blood.

Irina winced as one dug into her hip. She stumbled and backed up against a tree, trying to focus on where Mordred would come from rather than looking for a sign of it. The pain from her cuts was increasing, But Irina didn't let fear begin controlling her, "Where are you? Where are you?"

" **I'm right here!** "

Mordred suddenly came into Irina's view, causing her to gasp. Mordred came in fast, faster than Irina could react before he thrust with his sword. Sadly, Irina could not move and Clarent was thrust clean through her, and the tree behind her, the blade dripping with blood.

"GUH!" Irina gagged, blood splattering from her mouth.

" **A true shame,** " Mordred shook his head. He reached up and cupped Irina's cheek. " **I could have made you a queen, but instead you chose to die like a dog for a dead god. A true shame.** "

Irina gagged, spitting out more blood as tears began trailing down her cheeks. She had failed her mission, failed to retrieve the stolen Excaliburs, and now her sword would be taken. Worse, she'd failed her Sweetums and his faith her in, she failed Xenovia's trust, and she failed God who she adored so much. Her heart felt torn just like her body was.

Still, she would not allow herself to die so shamefully!

" _By the sword of the King of Knights, entrusted to me by His Majesty,_ " Irina choked out, tightening her grip on Excalibur Mimic.

" **Oh? Last words?** " asked Mordred, leaning in.

" _I swear, by my life and honor, to be a knight who shall punish the wicked, protect the innocent, and defend the kingdom,_ " Irina continued. In her hand, Excalibur Mimic began to shine with a pure white light.

" **What?** " Mordred frowned. " **Surely you are not attempting to fight me still?** "

" _So with this sword being witness in place of My King, let me be a knight of honor, justice, and faith who shall defend the realm from all who seek to destroy it, forevermore!_ "

Morded frowned and began to step back, gripping Clarent to remove it from Irina's body. However, the exorcist grabbed his wrist with her free hand, stopping him for a moment.

Irina smiled sadly, blood dribbling from her mouth, " _Excalibur…Mimic…_ "

The katana in Irina's hand flashed and suddenly the end of the blade shot out like liquid steel. It curved upward toward's Mordred's body before reaching the underside of his arm before bending ninety degrees and thrusting straight at the opening under his arm. Mordred's eyes widened and he attempted to move, but Irina's deathgrip held his arm, keeping the vulnerable spot open.

" **Let me g-!** " Mordred began, but the gagged as the blade pierced his divine leather cutting straight through it and burrowing deep inside of his body before bursting out from the gap in his armor where his neck was. " **GAAAAAHHH!** "

Irina grunted and suddenly bore spikes burst from Mordred's body, tearing through thin portions of the armor and emerging in the night air in splashes of ichor. Then the spikes would sink back into his body to burst out another portion.

" **GAH! GUUUH! YOU WENCH! AAHHH!** " Mordred screamed as the spikes tore through him.

A tug allowed Mordred to stumble back, yanking Excalibur Mimic from Irina's numb hand. Without her will, the sword returned to it's previous form of a katana, dropping to the ground with a clank. Mordred stumbled, ichor dropping to the ground in puddles. He choked and gasped, trying to think of something to deal with his wounds. The damn wench's deathbed attack had torn through his body. He focused his power inward, trying to force his body to heal faster before…

He coughed out a glob of blood which dribbled out the bottom of his helmet. Over his body, a golden aura began to shine as his fingertips began to dissolve.

" **No…no…NOOOO!** " Mordred bellowed, watching his hands began to dissolve. It had been a deathblow. HE snarled, glaring at Irina. " **I will not allow this! I will not allow you to bear another bastard child born from my power Pandora! I will not have it!** "

Mordred stomped towards Irina, aiming to kill her before he died. He reached out for his sword, but his hands were already gone to the wrists. Roaring, Mordred tried to smash her head in with a high kick, but his cumbersome armor prevented such a maneuver. As his arms vanished, he desperately tried to impale Irina with the horns of his helmet, but those had already begun to dissolve before his hands had.

" **No! No! I will kill you! I will not allow my power to be usurped!** " Mordred bellowed, lashing out at Irina with his dissolving body. Sadly, he did not have the reach or the ability as his limbs, and then his body continued to vanished, merely showering Irina in golden sparkles. " **NO! NO! I REFUSE THIS! I AM THE KING OF CAMELOT! I WILL NOT LET MY REIGN BE CUT OFF BEFORE IT CAN BEGIN! NO! NO! NOOOOOO!"**

Mordred's denials went unheard as his head vanished in the last bits of sparkles. Irina watched it all, detached. She barely felt it when Clarent vanished, letting her slide to the ground, merely sitting as her life blood drained out. She wept, perhaps sad to be leaving her love and her friend behind, but she accepted it.

"Sweetums…I'm going home now…you're going to have to live on without me…sorry," she whispered. "Xenovia…please take care of him. He'll need you now that I'm leaving. Please don't be too sad. I'll see you both again…I promise." Her tears continued to fall as she smiled, her life blood nearly gone, "God…thank you…for my life…I hope I…served well. Please watch…over…the people…I…love…"

She then slumped over and Irina Shidou, exorcist of the Vatican, died.

* * *

Mike suddenly felt like he had been stabbed, stopping his charge towards Caligula. He looked to the forested area of the school. He couldn't see anything moving, but something just told him that something had happened there, "Irina?"

Xenovia wasn't far behind, leaping back from her parry with Caligula to follow Mike's gaze, "Beloved, it…it couldn't be…"

" **Oh? Has your concubine died?** " Caligula snickered. " **Ah shame. She was quite a beauty. She would have been welcome in my new kingdom.** "

Mike tried to feel that sensation of being connected to Irina like he was Xenovia and Villetta. However, all he felt was nothing. Not the feeling of warmth or that feeling of just being connected to someone who cared. His connection to Irina was gone. With how it would be near impossible to sever something an Authority formed, it left one conclusion Mike couldn't escape even with **Heart of Wisdom**.

…Irina was dead.

"Irina…" Xenovia gasped, but then clenched her teeth and glared at Caligula, "You fiends! Will you truly kill anyone in your way for your destructive goals?!"

" **Of course! I'm an emperor and that means one thing!** " Caligula laughed. " **I can do whatever I want!** "

Mike turned his gaze over to Caligula, the dark eyes of his helmet boring into the Heretic God's own.

*WHOOM!*

A golden blaze erupted from Mike's body as his rage caused his own magic power to react. Xenovia winced, shielding her eyes from the light. Mike's raw scream of fury ripped through the air, echoing over the grounds as it captured the attention of the other fighters.

* * *

 **Outside**

Tsubasa felt her concentration slip slightly as the sounds of the battle reached her and she frowned in worry for her boyfriend, "Sweetie?"

From her own position maintaining the barrier, Tsubaki heard the roar and internally fretted, "Michael-kun…"

Sona frowned as she felt the familiar pulse of Mike's power, "It seems…Lord Summers no longer has a desire to hold back…"

* * *

 **Inside**

"Oh ho? What is this I see?" Kokabiel grinned, turning his attention to where Mike was facing off against Caligula.

Rias and her Peerage looked in the direction of the golden light, feeling Mike's divine power flaring and quickly reaching a point of true worry.

"Wh…what happened?" Issei blinked, gaping at the sight.

"He's angry," Koneko replied succinctly. "Very, very angry."

"Oh no," Asia fretted. "Do you think something happened to Irina or Xenovia?"

"It must have," Rias frowned. "Everyone, get ready to move and move quickly. A Campione on a rampage is never a pleasant thing."

"Much less safe to be near," Akeno frowned.

Kiba shook his head, glancing up at where Kokabiel was watching the scene with interest, "Not exactly a good time for it, even if it does keep Kokabiel from fighting us."

"No, but we have to try to help and we can't just let Valper and Freed go uncontested," Rias frowned. "So let's get moving! Akeno and I will lead. Kiba and Koneko will guard the flanks. Issei, Asia, stay in the middle!"

"Right!"

"HRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Mike screamed, more furious than he had ever seen in his life. The wound to his heart at losing Irina was painful enough. The worst part was looking at Caligula and that insufferable _smugness_ in his gaze. Like Irina didn't matter and that she wasn't any better than a common whore. It _enraged_ Mike like nothing ever had in his life. He was infuriated to the point of indiscretion. He didn't want anything more in the world than to wipe that _arrogance_ right off of Caligula's face!

" _DEEP WITHIN THE EARTH MY REIGN GROWS ONWARD! MY WEALTH SWELLS, MY TREASURES INCREASE, ALL FOR THE GLORY OF MY KINGDOM! THE VAULTS ARE LOCKED TO ALL BUT ME AND NOW I SHALL OPEN THE DOORS AND BASK IN THE RADIANT GLOW!_ "

Mike slammed his palm onto the ground, causing the soil to crack and groan as golden lights came from the gaps. Mike was so angry and he wished for the most powerful weapon his Authority could grant him, putting every bit of power he could into searching for it. He went past the stone columns, the golden weapons, the jewels, the coins. He dug _deep_ , searching for the weapon which could help him bring down Caligula once and for all!

He got it as a ring burst from the ground, not made of gold and silver, but from brass and iron. It looked like a rather poor acquisition compared the finery Mike's Authority had produced before. Uncaring, for Mike knew what it was, he grasped it before throwing off his left gauntlet and slipped the ring on.

"A brass and iron…?" Xenovia began, utterly confused, but then gasped. "Beloved, is that-?"

" **Oh? And what can a silly little ring of such poor quality do to one such as I?** " Caligula laughed. " **And here I thought you were actually going to fight me.** "

"Oh, I will," Mike snarled. Rearing back his fist, he slammed it into the ground, causing a shining ripple to spread out. The ripple spread out to form a large hexagram seal, shining with the same kind of divine power that the array in the sky was shining with, perhaps as a purer source.

And then Mike spoke, " _With this Seal of Solomon, I reach to the underworld! I command the four kings and their legions to obey me! Appear before me and obey as I call your name!_ " Mike's eyes narrowed on Caligula. " _ **Duke Gremory!**_ "

The seal burst with life and shone with a light even Valper's seal could not. In the center of it all came a new figure. Through the light it was hard to see them. However, once they had fully manifested, it was plain to see who had appeared.

Rias gaped openly, thinking her heart had stopped for a moment. Around her, her peerage stopped as they recognized the feeling of power coming from the person who Mike had conjured. It was a Devil's power, and not just any Devil, but one with enough power that it could easily match the ranks of the Maou. Furthermore, they were able to see the person's features and they appeared to be…

"An even _sexier_ version of Rias?!" Issei cried out in hormone overload.

The person who had come from the center of the seal, now burned into the ground, did indeed have a striking resemblance to Rias herself, albeit she was a fully mature and adult woman. Her figure was a perfect hourglass and curved in ways which would make normal women cry in envy. She was wearing a black strapless dress with red accenting on it, a slit sported up one side which showed off her perfect legs with red high heels. Around her waist was a sexy rope belt which had a feminine crown tied to it. The dress was strapless, showing off a magnificent cleavage. If Rias' chest was incredible for a girl her age, then the same could be said for the new woman in regards to an adult's chest size. Her arms were covered in black gloves, but left her hands bare, showing perfectly manicured red nails. Around her neck was a black choker with a round red ruby on the center. Her face was a dream, but also a dead ringer for Rias' own, although more mature. Her lips were full and begging for a kiss, painted a seductive red. Her crystal blue eyes sparkled with mischief and interest. Her red hair fell down in waves to her downright perfect bum, styled much in the same style that Rias and Sirzechs had their own, only she did not have an agohe like Rias did.

"By your summoning, I, Duke Gremory, who governs twenty-six legions of demons, holds knowledge of the past, present, and future, and procures the love of women young and old, have come forth," the woman spoke, her voice even sounding quite similar to Rias' own, obviously older and sexier.

Issei shuddered at the sound, unable to help himself in the face of such sexiness, "Oh wow…is this what Rias is going to look like when she grows up? Oh hell yeah!"

"Au…" Asia whimpered, wilting at seeing Issei going gaga for the Rias look-alike.

"Duke Gremory?" Kiba blinked, confused, "But, that's Rias' father, not this woman…"

"No, it is the _first_ Duke Gremory," Akeno answered, her eyes wide in surprise. "A part of Solomon's legend is that he held a ring which could allow him to command demons and a book called _The Lesser Keys of Solomon_ lists seventy-two Devils who magicians could summon for power. Since Lord Summers has access to Solomon's treasures, he holds the power to summon Devils as manifested by Solomon's power. So this woman is…"

"My ancestor…" Rias gasped softly, her eyes wide. "Or at least, the amalgamation of belief in what my ancestor was like…"

Meanwhile, the enraged Campione looked to the Devil he called. "I am the one who called you," Mike spoke, his voice trembling with rage. "I have one task. I want to utterly _destroy_ the Heretic Gods who took my Irina from me!"

"I see," Gremory nodded. "Then I ask payment in return. Gold. Can you pay that price?"

"HA! My armor is made of gold! Take it!" Mike laughed.

"Then the contract is formed," Gremory nodded, snapping a dainty finger. Mike's armor fell from his body and flew to where Gremory stood, dissolving into gold sparkles which were absorbed into her body. She grinned as the contract was completed. "Contract is set. Three-hundred seconds!"

"Then go!" Mike snarled.

"With pleasure!" Gremory turned, facing down Caligula with a devilish smirk, "Don't disappoint me Heretic God!"

" **Oh I wouldn't dream of it, she-demon!** " Caligula laughed, taking a stance.

Gremory lifted her hand and unleashed a pure blast of dark and red power, firing with a force much larger than anything Rias felt she could muster even if she was being boosted by Issei. Where the blast touched, matter simply ceased to be and it was all aimed directly at Caligula.

Most would have cried out in fear of being the target of such an attack. However, Caligula was not the average opponent. He smirked and suddenly wings appeared on his sandals before he moved out of the way of the blast, letting it carve a trench through the ground before it obliterated the school grounds behind it in a blast of dark power.

"Oh? A quick one eh?" Gremory smirked before a pair of Devil wings emerged from her back and she took to the air.

" **Quicker than you, unholy beast!** " Caligula mocked, likewise taking to the air thanks to his winged sandals.

Mike watched the battle from below, but he still at least had a piece of his senses left. Glancing, he turned to see the Occult Research Club gawking at the battle between Devil and Heretic God, "Don't just stand there! Get to Freed and stop that spell!"

"Oh!" Rias gasped, snapped from her daze. "R-Right! Come on everyone!"

Mike looked to Xenovia, "You too. They'll need your Durandal to help protect them."

"Beloved?" Xenovia asked.

"I'll wait here. Keep an eye on the fight…and wait for Mordred," Mike growled, standing up. "I have a score to settle with him."

Xenovia knew that there was no talking Mike out of his current path. He was angry and grieving with losing Irina, something she could identify with. However, she at least had the training to put that grief aside for later. Mike did not have that and now he was going to put all his energies into avenging his lost lover.

"Very well. Be safe," The bluenette nodded before she took off towards the source of the glowing light in the sky.

The Occult Research Club ran, closing in on Freed and Valper, coming outside of the magic circle etched on the ground, connected to the one in the air. They didn't dare draw closer since the holy power caused them to feel like they were sunburnt just from the proximity. In the middle was Valper, his hands thrown in the air as he looked up at a shining light which was between the two circles on the ground and in the air.

"Ah, it's complete! My life's ambition! Everything I have strived for!" Valper laughed manically.

The light dimmed, and the magic circle on the ground faded away, it's purpose complete as the magic array in the air finally reached enough energy to be self-sustaining. The orb of light came down and faded, revealing a wicked longsword with a wide base. Although it gave off a holy aura, the construction of it made the blade appear almost wicked and bloodthirsty.

"I don't believe it," Xenovia gasped. "He…combined the Excaliburs?"

"Indeed I did," Valper laughed as the sword came to the ground. "Years of research and study has finally culminated into this, my crowning achievement! An almost reconstructed Excalibur!"

Freed laughed, hopping over to the new sword, scooping it up and testing it with a few swings, "Whoooeee! I just love what you've done with my swag Old Man! I just can't wait to try it out on some shitty Devils and watch them writhe in agony!" he laughed and turned to the gather of Devils, "Oh, there's some! Open Season!"

"Just try it asshole!" Issei growled, clenching his fist and Boosted Gear let out another 'boost.' A flash from the gem told Issei that he was ready to charge up again, "Okay, Koneko, Kiba, your turn!"

"Okay," the first-year nodded.

"Right," the bishonen agreed.

" **Transfer!** " The Boosted Gear announced before Issei moved to take Kiba and Koneko's hand which were joined together so that they could share the enhancing power. Issei reached, preparing to lose more stamina when…

"You know, I can think of a much more useful trick than just handing energy to your comrades."

Kokabiel's voice rang out, but was sounding closer than his pedestal. The group tensed, looking up, but not before a chain of light energy shot down, wrapping around Issei's wrist before he could empower his friends before he was yanked straight up into the air, "WAUGH!"

"Issei!" Rias cried in horror.

"Oh no! Issei!" Asia gasped in fear.

Issei was yanked straight up to where Kokabiel was hovering in the air. The Fallen Angel grabbed him by his left elbow, taking care not to touch Boosted Gear when it was primed to transfer its energy into whatever it touched next. The pervert's face was brought up to Kokabiel who had that wicked grin on his lips.

"Let me go you bastard!" Issei shouted, trying to punch Kokabiel, only to get his fist caught.

"Oh, I will, but I think I'll borrow all that nice energy you've collected so far," Kokabiel grinned.

"LET MY ISSEI GO!" Rias shouted, shooting up towards Kokabiel before launching an empowered blast of pure Destruction at her enemy.

"In a moment," Kokabile grinned, uncaring of the power coming at him. He let Issei's hand go before he swung his arm, blasting Rias' attack aside, sending it crashing back down to earth where it obliterated a tennis courts, leaving a massive crater behind. Annoyance dealt with, Kokabiel raised his arm, creating a massive magical circle in the air, one etched with numerous glowing runes and marked in an ancient language.

"You see, I did have a bit of a party favor planned, but I needed Boosted Gear to be able to Transfer in order to do it," Kokabiel grinned, lifting higher towards the circle. "He's a rather stubborn and ruthless fellow, but once he hears that the Boosted Gear and the dragon inside of it is here, well, just try to stop him."

"Wh-what?" Issei blinked.

"Well it's…oh why explain when I can just show you?" Kokabiel grinned. He lifted Issei's pinned arm and forced the Boosted Gear to touch the magic circle, immediately turning it green as the stored power Issei collected as poured into it. The circle became a glowing ring in the sky, no longer feeling truly holy, but instead mixed with the power of a dragon.

"Thanks for the boost," Kokabiel grinned before he tossed Issei aside, letting him fall into Rias' arms while the redhead fretted over him momentarily.

Kokabiel then rose to the level of the circle and began speaking in a language long lost to the humans. Although the words were indeed beautiful-sounding, like a perfect melody, his voice and entire mentality made the language also feel wrong and foreboding.

"What is he doing?" Issei wondered.

"It's the language of Heaven, something Angels and Fallen alike can speak," Rias frowned. "Devils only know a little of it, but speaking it causes us harm. It's probably common in Heaven, but to us Devils, they only ever use it when they use their most powerful spells."

Kokabiel's voice rang loud and far0reaching, allowing everyone to hear it, even over the sounds of the battle going on elsewhere on the property. Below them, the two Fallen priests began to grin wider as they witnessed what their boss was doing. Their laughter made them look like they were in on the biggest joke ever told and it unnerved the defenders.

"Ooooooo! You guys are in for it now!" Freed laughed. "Boss-man is bringing in our ringer to set this party off in style!"

"It almost makes me want to pity all of you," Valper grinned. "Oh well."

Akeno looked up at Kokabiel, straining her ears. To a casual observer, it appeared as if she could understand the words, but hadn't spoken or heard the language in many years. After a few moments, her eyes widened and her face paled. On the verge of panic, she shouted up to Rias, "BUCHOU! GET AWAY! HE'S CALLING DOWN A HERETIC GOD!"

"What?!" Rias and Issei gasped as one.

Kokabiel finished his incantation and the circle lit up in the air, erupting with a pillar of power which shot into the sky. The beam impacted the edge of Sona's barrier, not even slowing down as it shattered like fine glass. Outside, the Sitri Peerage cried out as the feedback of their spell failing sent them all tumbling to the ground, feeling like they had all gotten full body sunburns. The pillar continued on higher, cutting into the clouds before vanishing.

Below, everyone waited with baited breath, wondering if a Heretic God would answer the call. Heretic Gods were fickle and many had been beseeched by numerous cults to appear but never did. The gods only obeyed their own whims or a superior god. It was the hope of many that this would be the case and the Heretic God Kokabiel sought would ignore him.

Such hops would remain unanswered.

The clouds above seemed to bulge, twist, and contort as if something was struggling behind a wall of cotton. Finally, the barrier between the mortal world and the Domain of Immortality could no longer take the strain and the air itself was torn asunder as the new Heretic God broke free of its legend and entered the human world.

The deity was massive, easily matching the size of great structures like the Roman Colosseum. Its body was reptilian and stronger muscled, covered in shining scales which were a shade of crimson that seem like a mix of blood and rubies. Its underside was yellow while two massive draconic wings spread from its back. Spikes ran down its back until it ended in a spade-like tail while it's face was that of a dragon with large curled black horns coming from the sides of its head. It's eyes flashed an emerald green before unleashing a roar which ripped through the air.

The Devils cried out in pain as the divine aura struck them, sapping them of their strength. Kiba actually vomited while Koneko collapsed entirely, ber breath dangerously short. Asia simply fainted, unable to take the strain. Akeno, Rias, and Issei collapsed to the ground. Only Issei remained able to stand as he fought his way to his feet, his body being connected to a draconic arm offering some protection. Xenovia was unaffected by the aura, but she did tense, her body shaking as she stared at the massive red dragon in the sky.

" **Oh gods, not this poser again,** " Ddraig grumbled from inside the Boosted Gear.

"D-Draig, you know who this guy is?" Issei winced, fighting against the toxic aura.

"Allow me to make introductions!" Kokabiel laughed wickedly, raising an arm in the air. "This is the great dragon that heralded the rise of King Arthur! The patron beast of the land of the welsh! The crimson dragons who declares kings! The Welsh Red Dragon! Heretic God, Y Ddraig Goch!"

"Y Ddraig Goch?" Issei gasped weakly. He looked down to his Sacred Gear, "Ddraig, he's you?"

" **Dragons such as I are incredibly powerful. When many races and people saw what we could do, they mistook us as gods and began worshipping us. Naturally I had quite the following,** " Ddraig explained, distaste towards the massive dragon in the sky. " **But what really got my name out there was at one point when I got in a tiff with the Vanishing Dragon somewhere in Wales. We were fighting and in an effort to calm us down, the locals gave us vast stores of wine. We took it and got blitzed like you wouldn't believe. Then while we were sleeping, those humans buried us under a hill. We slept off our hangovers for a century or so and then got woken up when more humans dug up the hill to build a fortress. They got the idea to sacrifice a child to us to stop our fighting but he used our fight and his silver tongue to announce a future king. History would later remember that brat as Merlin. Then when Artorious appeared, The Vanishing Dragon and I were cemented into human and supernatural legend.** "

"And…aren't Heretic Gods born from worship?" Issei coughed.

" **You got it. You're looking at the combined worship and belief in me,** " Ddraig replied. " **Except the dick wants to become the TRUE Red Dragon Emperor and periodically comes down to try and devour my host at the time. It's happened three times and my hosts managed to fight him off, but had to use the Juggernaut Drive to do it.** "

"Oh great," Issei whimpered, paling even more.

Y Ddraig Goch roared a second time before diving down to the school grounds. His eyes landed on Issei, or rather, the gauntlet on his arm. Seeing it, he let out a snarl, " **So here we meet once again, my original self.** "

" **Yes, here we are,** " Ddraig retorted. " **I can guess why you answered the Fallen's summons.** "

" **Indeed,** " Y Ddraig Goch chuckled darkly. " **I know your energy like I do my own and now I shall finally take it and become my true self. The TRUE Red Dragon Emperor!** "

" **Oh get over yourself!** " Ddraig retorted. " **You are just a shadow of superstition and worship created by lesser beings who were trying to get on my good side! That's all you are and that's all you ever will be!** "

"Ddrag!" Issei cried, looking to his hand. "Don't trash talk the giant dragon who wants to kill me to get at you!"

" **HA! Bold talk from a lizard in a cage!** " Y Draig Goch laughed, ignoring Issei. " **I failed in my last three attempts. But now I hold the advantage! My divine form pitted against the Devil you hide within! This time it will end with my resounding victory!** "

With a roar, Y Ddraig Goch began charging towards Issei, intent on devouring him and trampling on his friends in the process. The perverted teen felt his knees buckle as the Heretic God came closer, weathering on the relief even Issei's dragon arm afforded him.

"Help…" he grimaced, not sure what he could do.

" _May his spine be crushed; may his bones be broken, his tendons torn, his hair ripped from his skull; may his blood, spilled over the earth, be churned into a bloody froth. I shall become one who buries fangs into the sinner's flesh, that the will of the lord be followed; Thou shall be purged!_ "

The voice was loud and it echoed with Authority, reminding Issei briefly of when Mike would use his own powers. In the next moment, Y Ddraig Goch was blindsided by a massive boar equaling his size with was pitch black with a flaming mane and giant tusks which curved into the air. Both beasts created a sonic boom when they collided before the red dragon was plowed across the field and smashed into a far building on the campus.

"What the hell was that?!" Issei cried out in shock.

"Our…our backup," Rias winced as she got up, relief from Y Ddraig Goch's divine aura given now that there was some distance between them. She pointed in the opposite direction. Approaching from the school were four figures, teenagers like them, although Issei didn't recognize them.

…it didn't stop him from noticing that four of the five were beautiful and very attractive girls.

The one _almost_ leading the charge had to be the sexiest foreign girl Issei had ever seen. She wore a dork halter top and tight pants which outlined her figure in ways Issei couldn't help but mentally wolf whistle at. A red shawl with black stripes wrapped around her shoulders and she had long golden blonde hair with bright blue eyes. She was also wearing almost knee high leather boots and in her hand was a silver sword which gave Issei bad vibes. Not that it stopped him from roving his eyes up and down the girl's curves despite the situation.

The second girl was, of all things, dressed in a shrine priestess outfit, although her hakama was green instead of the stereotypical red. She had long brown hair which had ribbons tied to lengths travelling down her front while the rest was trailed down her back. She seemed to be a little more modest than the blonde, but was behind the leader of the group.

Next to the shrine maiden had to be a girl who looked almost like the Japanese idea. She had long shiny black hair which flowed almost effortlessly down her back and she was obviously in shape and busty, although not quite up to Rias and Akeno's level, but then again, who was? She wore a school uniform of some kind with a brown skirt and white blouse with a yellow vest. In her hand was a straight sword of Japanese origin, but the blade was pitch black and the sight of it just gave Issei the willies.

The last girl seemed more like a fairy more than anything else. She was western as well, but she had long silver hair tied into a ponytail. She was wearing a black short-skirted outfit with a blue mantle striped with black. A leather belt hung on her hips and a curved western-style sword rested in her hand. Her sharp gaze looked over the battlefield and her stance showed no nonsense and ready for a fight.

The male leading the group Issei almost dismissed out of habit, used to doing such in order to see more women and possibly their boobs. He seemed average; slightly tanned skin and messy spiked black hair. He wore a navy blue long sleeved shirt under a white button up t-shirt with black pants and white sneakers. If it weren't for the glowing aura which was fading from him, Issei would have wondered how such an average guy had a collection of hotties with him.

"Is everyone okay?" the boy asked, coming to a stop near Issei and Rias, but keeping his eyes on where Y Ddraig Goch and the giant boar were tearing at each other in a kaiju-like showdown.

"We're fine, Lord Kusanagi," Rias winced as she stood up. "I apologize for a lack of formality, but this is hardly a formal situation."

"Right, I got that," the boy nodded. "Just what the heck's going on here?"

"Uh…excuse me?" Issei spoke up, raising a hand. "But who the heck are you guys and how'd you send that big ass boar at the dragon?"

The schoolgirl blinked at Issei before she let off a laugh, "You sure are behind the times! You stand in the presence of Godou Kusanagi-sama! The Seventh Campione who has come to help his adorable kouhai defeat the Fallen Angel and his Heretic God allies with the aid of his collection of women!"

"Ena!" Godu groaned. "I don't have a collection of women!"

"Correct. You have lovers and wives," the blonde corrected without a hint of shame.

"Erica! Stop saying misleading things!" Godou snapped.

"Yes, yes," the blonde, Erica waved off before she looked to Rias, "You are of the Gremory Clan I presume? Your red hair indicates as such. What is the situation? We were told of Kokabiel and his two Heretic Gods, but obviously things have grown worse since then."

"You'd be righ ton all accounts," Rias nodded, still woozy from Y Ddraig Goch's aura. "The dragon Lord Kusanagi sent his pet at is Y Ddrai Goch, the Welsh Red Dragon from Arthurian myth. He's come to devour my adorable Pawn and the Boosted Gear he possesses. With Mordred and Caligula here already, the odds are against us."

"And where is Lord Summers in all of this?" asked the silver-haired girl.

*BOOM!*

A blast of black power created an explosion followed by glints of gold light coming from golden spears shooting through the air at a pair of figures flying in the air.

"Over there, fighting Caligula using Solomon's ring," Rias answered. "I fear one of his lovers who followed him into battle and may have been wounded or killed, causing an extreme emotional reaction in him."

"Oh no," the priestess whimpered in fear.

"And Kokabiel is planning to unleash a spell which will level this neighborhood at the least," Rias pointed to the spell circle hovering behind him. "My Peerage and remaining allies are trying to deal with it. We have reinforcements coming, but if I understand the circle correctly, they will not get here in time."

"I see," Erica nodded. She then turned to her Campione, or was that lover? "Godou, go help Lord Summers. Only you two can deal with the Heretic Gods. We will deal with the rogue exorcists and Kokabiel."

"Are you sure?" Godou frowned, looking to Erica with concern.

The blonde smiled, "We will be fine Godou. Now go. Lord Summers may not be in the right state of mind to fight at his best."

Godou frowned slightly before he nodded, "Right, be careful."

Godou turned towards the fight and started running, no longer the average joe aura surrounding him. Instead, the look in his eyes proved the cunning and powerful individual he constantly hid underneath, refusing to let it come out.

The Seventh God Slaying King had joined the fray.

 **To Be Continued…**

* * *

A/N: Okay, this one took me a while. Trying to get Godou in without him stealing the show was a bit of a challenge. Hopefully giving him the climax of this chapter will be enough. Next chapter is when we really start seeing some carnage and Kokabiel really begins entering the fray himself. Also, what about Irina? Was what she did able to pass Pandora's standards or is she lost to Mike and Xenovia for good?

Also…

 **Seal of Solomon:** Not an Authority, but a relic held within **The King's Treasury**. This was the ring Solomon used which allows him to control demons. Mike has only just unlocked the use of the ring and requires to give up a large chunk of his energy to summon the ring and even more to conjure a Devil. He needs to know the Devil's name he intends to summon and must sacrifice a portion of his treasures in order to make use of their abilities. For as long as that Devil is manifested, use of **The King's Treasury** is reduced and cannot be used again for the equal number of days inversed that the demon is ranked. For example, Duke Gremory is listed as the 56th Devil out of the 72 known Devil Nobility. Therefore, Mike cannot call for his armor for sixteen days. Depending on the value of what is given, the Devils can stay a longer or shorter time if they are summoned for an extended period.

It may be possible to use this to summon normal Devils at a reduced cost…


	14. Dragonslayer

I do not own Campione or High School DxD. Those belong to their respective creators and not me. I am only writing this for fun and not for any kind of profit. If you do not like the story then please refrain from flaming me over it and find something more suitable to your tastes. For those of you that remain, please enjoy the latest chapter.

 **God Slayer DxD**

 **By Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Chapter 14: Dragonslayer**

The End of Days

The situation clearly did seem like a doomsday scenario. A Fallen Angel and his exiled priest minions had in their possession a nearly complete Excalibur. With them were the Heretic God Caligula who wished to reshape the lands Kokabiel sought to destroy into a new Roman Empire. Also was a massive red dragon, the Heretic God Y Ddraig Goch, brawling with the Boar, an incarnation of the God of Victory, Verethragna. Also in the brawl were two Campione, one in such a fit of rage from his lover apparently dying it was hard to know if he had even noticed the dragon's arrival as he fought against Caligula with the help of Duke Gremory made mention in the Ars Goetia. The other Campione was calmer, but had a nasty habit of pretty much destroying any battlefield he was part of. Lastly were the remaining group of defenders against the rogue priests, a group of Devils, one exorcist wielding a holy sword, and four magic users who were the Seventh Campione's women in their own words.

Many who knew of magic would call it a doomsday scenario with just Caligula and Mike duking out as they were. The Dragon, Godou, and Kokabiel just made it overkill.

"HRAAAAH!" Mike roared, unleashing a barrage of golden spears, shooting them out of the ground like a storm of golden arrows at the airborne Caligula.

" **Don't make me laugh!** " Caligula mocked, speeding out of the way of the attacks.

"Then try this!" Duke Gremory called from above, firing another blast of pure destruction.

Caligula snarled and moved to avoid the attack, although barely, before it burrowed a deep crater into the ground. Gremory snickered at the anger Caligula showed as he glared her, taking offense at something being nearly quick enough to hit him with his Authority in action.

"Dammit! Me without an Authority that let's me fly!" Mike growled, his eyes locked on the flying Caligula.

"Summers!"

Mike stopped and turned when he heard someone calling his name. Turning and half-expecting an enemy of some kind, he faltered when he took in the appearance of a teenage boy running at him. As he came to a stop, Mike recognized him, having been briefed on the other Campione and what they looked like.

"Aniki," Mike huffed, surprised to see his fellow Campione.

"Aniki?" Godou blinked, but then shook his head. "Listen, things aren't going well. That spell hanging over us is still charging and that Kokabiel summoned another Heretic God!"

"H-he did?" Mike blinked. The words were cutting through his haze of anger and adrenaline. Looking to where Godou had come from, he openly gaped as he saw Y Ddraig Goch and the Boar roaring and clawing at each other, utterly levelling the school building they had crashed into. "H-Holy shit! When'd that thing get here?!"

"You didn't even notice?" Godou blinked, but then stopped and shook his head. Rias had brought him up to date, "Listen, I know you're angry but we have to focus on everything going on, not just one of them. You have the Wisdom of Solomon, right? Use it!"

"But…he…Mordred…" Mike sputtered, gritting his teeth. He heaved a breath as his rage and pain at Irina's death clashed against the cold logic of his Wisdom of Solomon. Mike grit his teeth, his pain forcing a tear to his eye despite the situation. "…they hurt Irina. My Irina…"

"I know," Godou nodded, looking to his fellow godslayer with sympathy. "I know how it feels, knowing that someone took away someone you care about and hurt them. Voban did it with my friend Yuri. I was ready to move heaven and hell to help her. You're ready to raise hell to avenge yours."

Mike nodded, looking hatefully to where Caligula was darting through the sky against Gremory. At the same time, his eyes were drifting back to where Y Ddraig Goch was thrashing with the Boar. Passion and logic clashed against each other again, making Mike feel like a cold hand had gripped his heart.

"Listen, I can't leave the Boar going forever!" Godou shouted, snapping Mike from his pain. "If we're going to fight Heretic Gods then I need to use my other Authorities. If I use another one then the Boar is going to disappear!"

Mike huffed, shaking his head, "Dammit. Fine! So which Heretic God is that dragon and which of us fights it?"

"Y Ddraig Goch, I think," Godou answered. "And I'm asking you that. He's a God of Earth so my Authorities can help take him down. But you killed Siegfried, right? That means you've got an Authority which is better at killing dragons than I do."

Mike heaved a breath, "…maybe…" He rubbed his temple. "Siegfried, Solomon, and Momotaro. Two of them are steel deities which are known for slaying monsters. My **Bonds of Brotherhood** is down and all I got from Siegfried is his horse. All the weapons I have are from Solomon's wealth."

Godou gnawed at his lip, looking up at the fight with Caligula, "He kill any dragons?"

"Dealt with demons, got a wish from God, a lot of things, but dragons don't play into it," Mike grit his teeth, looking to where the dragon and the Boar rolled over and crushed another portion of the school buildings. "Dammit, we can't let those two keep fighting. They'll level the district even if we stop that spell from doing the same thing."

Mike growled and looked up as the devil and the Heretic God clashed. As much as he wanted to see Caligula get crushed for his arrogance and for allying with Mordred, Mike knew he couldn't linger. Mordred would have to wait since Y Ddraig Goch was the more immediate issue. His presence alone was likely poisoning all of the devils in the area at the least. Mike was the one with Authorities that came from Heretic Gods that slain dragons, or at least Oni. That meant he had a natural advantage when it came to fighting dragons, even if it only was a horse. A knight still needed his steed to fight a dragon just as much as he needed his steel.

"I hate this," Mike scowled before looking to Godou, "You want Gremory to keep fighting or to go with me? I'm not sure if I can summon another Devil without gutting how effective I can be for the rest of the fight."

"No, take her with you then," Godou shook his head, "I'll have enough to take him on."

"Fine. Good luck," Mike nodded before turning to the dragon and Boar, " _By the trial of th_ _e river Busiltjörn, show me the one worthy to be my steed. Show me the one sired by Sleipnir, the steed who shall above all else be worthy of being the mount of a king!_ "

A flash summoned the white steed Grani, allowing Mike to mount up after pausing for a single moment to retrieve a golden spear, "Okay, I'll fight the dragon. You take down Caligula and then back me up. At worst, I'll only be able to delay that thing to keep my friends from getting poisoned by it's aura."

"Right. Good luck," Godou nodded, turning his attention back to Caligula.

"The same," Mike nodded, turning Grani towards Y Ddraig Goch, "Gremory! With me! We're taking the fight to the dragon!"

"Oh, a more exciting fight than this?" Gremory grinned, breaking off the fight to swoop down towards Mike. The Eighth snapped the reins on his horse and took off across the terrain towards where the red dragon was fighting the Boar still.

Above them both, Caligula sneered as he watched his opponent leave him, " **Don't you dare turn your back on me!** " He prepared to move, to strike down the whelp who would dare turn his back on an emperor and make him suffer for it. A burst of speed and he shot towards the retreating Campione. No one insulted the-!

" _Fear of the winged, both the evil and the powerful, all shall fear I who hold these feathered wings. My wings will bring you curse and just desserts!_ "

That was all Caligula heard before a pair of feet smashed into his face, knocking him off course before he tumbled along the ground, crashing into a heap. He grunted and shook his head, looking up to see Godou standing defiantly, an aura of gold surrounding him.

"Your fight's with me now," Godou challenged, the Raptor in full effect.

Caligula scowled, but then smirked, " **Oh? So the whelp thinks he can challenge Mercury's speed then? Ha! Regret your foolishness in the Underworld!** "

The two then vanished in bursts of speed.

* * *

Mike charged towards where the Boar and Y Ddraig Goch were fighting. In the brief respite, he tried to bring up what he knew about the Welsh Red Dragon. It wasn't hard since the name popped up in Arthurian myth while Mike and the others tried researching Mordred.

Y Ddraig Goch first appeared when the red dragon began fighting with a white one which went unnamed. To keep the two dragons from destroying their lands, the people of the time fed the pair great casks of wine. The dragons took the wine and grew sleepy before falling asleep. In their drunken stupor, they didn't react when the people buried them deep in the earth. A century or so later, a Welsh king accidentally dug them up while digging to make the foundation of a new fortress. Unsure of how to get the dragons to stop fighting, the king of the would-be castle was advised to sacrifice a child to the dragons. Although how that would help Mike didn't know the answer. The selected child was Merlin, the future advisor to King Arthur who gave a prophecy using the two dragons as a basis which eventually heralded the rise of King Arthur. Later, red dragons were used in the crests of Welsh kings and nobility ever since, making it a symbol of Wales and its people.

' _But the problem is that the story is the only mundane one known_ ,' Mike thought as he drew closer. ' _It doesn't cover what the supernatural think of Ddraig, if he and the one from the story are the same dragon. Who knows what the supernatural scene who know about that dragon and how they'd regard him! It's not like I have the wine on hand to booze this guy up!_ '

Nearing the dragon and the Boar, Mike saw the great black pig rear up and roar before fading away into golden sparkles. With the Boar deactivated, Mike knew it would be up to him to keep the fight going and keep the damn dragon away from his Devil friends, preferably without it going and destroying the town in the process.

" **Where did he go?! Where is the one who dared attack me?!** " Y Ddraig Goch bellowed, scrambling to his feet, roaring in fury over being so blatantly attacked. Searching around, his eyes landed on the approaching Mike, " **Oh? So the little bastard child of Pandora is coming to challenge me? Ha! Laughable!** "

"Whatever," Mike frowned, "But you're not welcome here so shove off or pay the price!"

" **Bah! A petty threat!** " Y Ddraig Goch snorted. Inhaling deeply, the insides of his mouth began to glow before he unleashed a stream of white hot dragonfire, " **BURN!** "

Mike's eyes widened as he witnessed the incoming attack, "Grani!"

The horse's body flashed and Grani suddenly changed course, sprinting away from the incoming fires. The ground was scorched and anything in the path of the attack was incinerated. Grani and Mike though, avoided the blaze entirely. The horse's innate ability to avoid hazards and obstacles helped in a defensive way, allowing Grani to avoid the attack while still charging towards the red dragon.

"Eat this!" Mike bellowed, stopping Grani to stab his spear into the ground.

The ground beneath the dragon cracked before a massive pillar rose into the air, smashing into the bottom of Y Ddraig Goch's jaw, snapping it shut and trapping the flames inside. The blasted from his nose in a stream of fire before dying out into smoke. Roaring, he shook his head, breaking the pillar before glaring down at Mike.

" **GRAH! That hurt, you cretin!** " the dragon bellowed, inhaling for another shot.

"Hello? Forget about me?"

" **Huh?** " Y Ddraig Goch glanced up only for a blast of pure Destruction to explode in his face. " **GRAHH!** "

Heretic God or not, being hit with something that destroys nearly all matter it touches is still going to hurt. Gremory smirked as she flew past the thrashing dragon, charging up more blasts of Destruction in her hands.

"You'd best think up a plan little Contractor," Gremory offered. "Felling dragons is never an easy task."

"I'm working on it," Mike grimaced. It was just so hard to concentrate! He was still so enraged about Irina! "The underside! He's got to have a soft underbelly so we go underneath and rip him open from beneath! It worked for Siegfreid on Fafnir so it'll work for us!"

Mike snapped the reins again and charged for Y Ddraig Goch once again.

" **Fool, simply because I am a dragon, do not assume that I am stupid!** " the red dragon's voice echoed out as the smoke cleared from his head. His hide hadn't broken, but obviously he still felt the pain from the attack. " **And your plan would be ideal, were I Fafnir and not the Red Dragon Emperor!** "

Y Ddraig Goch raised one of his claws and slammed it into the earth. A shockwave ripped through the soil, causing Grani to rear back with a cry and Mike to nearly fall from his steed's back. Mike grit his teeth, clutching the reins so he didn't fall. ' _What the hell? I expected a shockwave, but it's like he's causing the ground to shake like a real earthquake! Since when could a dragon do this?!_ '

" **Surprised, bastard child?** " Y Ddraig Goch laughed. " **I was buried beneath the earth for a century. Do you honestly think it cannot play a role in my Authorities?** "

"Oh shit," Mike gaped. If the earth itself was part of his legend and power, then-!

Y Ddraig Goch chuckled before speaking once again, " _ **Let the land shake with the dragon's roar! The battle of the age long past shall begin anew! Crush the stone which holds us! Shake the earth which binds us! Break the roots which imprison us! The earth be rendered asunder by our awakening!**_ "

Y Ddraig Goch then stabbed his claws into the ground before tearing them back out again. Rather than just the dirt he held, the entire area around their fight cracked and shuddered before going up like a heat-less explosion. What remained of the school building was completely destroyed as the ground exploded underneath it. Mike was not immune as he and Grani were tossed into the air by chunks of dirt and stone.

"Contractor!" Gremory called, struggling to avoid the slabs of stone, rubble, and soil.

All around them was engulfed in clouds of dust and debris.

* * *

The remainder of the Occult Research Club and their new comrades squared off with Freed and Valper. The psychotic priest was armed with a Fused Excalibur created by combining Nightmare, Transparency, Destruction, and Rapidly together.

"Oooh, oh, oh ooooooh!" Freed grinned. "Look at all the fangirls I collected! It's such a pain to be popular! So much killing to do and so little time!"

"Freed, be careful," Valper warned his underling. "It's not just Devils we're facing. The exorcist is armed with Durandal while the wenches Lord Seventh brought have arcane blades Il Maestro and Cuore di Leone in their hands. Also if I'm not mistaken, the black blade is the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, a Subordinate God in itself. Even my Fused Excalibur will have difficulty in that."

"Ah don't sweat it old man! We've got Destruction mixed with this bad boy! That means I can just trash anything I cut!" Freed snickered. "So who wants to die first? Or can we just go in one big orgy? Ha!"

"Pig," Lilliana scowled at the deranged man.

"That he is, but wielding four of the seven Excaliburs in one blade," Erica commented. "Yuri, stay back and coordinate with the other supporters for healing spells."

"H-hai!"

"Lilliana, Ena, we will coordinate our attacks. That blade is still newly forged, with any luck we will be able to break it before it can truly set as a combined blade."

"Ena agrees!"

"Yes!"

Xenovia scowled at the weapon, "Knight of Gremory, I hope to think that our previous agreement is still valid."

"It is," Kiba nodded, eyes switching from Valper to the fused sword.

"Then perhaps we shall work together and destroy that thing," Xenovia frowned. "It may be a holy sword, but all I see is a monster when I look at it and I truly wish to _destroy_ it. Its master has a reckoning with my blade for daring to kill my partner!"

"Then you do know my pain, if only a fraction," Kiba nodded grimly. "Right. Together then!"

"Okay everyone!" Rias frowned, eyeing the two priests like so much trash. "Crush them!"

"Oh, I'll do more than that!" Akeno smirked.

"You got it!" Issei growled, lifting his armored fist. " **Boost!** "

"Oh boy, here we go! Let's show off my kickass new sword!" Freed laughed, moving into a stance. "Check out one of the new tricks I learned! It's a **Nightmare!** "

Freed's entire form blurred before splitting into multiple copies of himself. Enough copies for all of the combatants to have one of their own to fight against. With a shriek of joy, the copies all dashed off at the combatants, forcing them all to defend themselves from the psychopaths.

Normally Excalibur Nightmare's magic allowed one to cast illusions, but they would not have any substance to them. In the Fused Excalibur, this ability was amplified by the other three cores of the other Excaliburs. As such, the illusions created by Nightmare's power were likewise amped up, able to hold a solid presence in the manner Freed needed them to be.

"Dammit!" Kiba grunted, blocking a strike from the Freed he was fighting. He changed his sword to Holy Eraser to try and bleed off some of the power in the illusion (or real) Freed he was fighting, but so far he wasn't seeing an effect. Excalibur's power was just far too potent.

"Ha! Like it?" one of the Freeds laughed. "Oh, what's that? Want some more? Okay, how about a taste of **Rapidly!** "

It was all the warning the group got before the Freeds vanished and only a white blur proved to be any warning of incoming attacks.

"I got him!" Kiba shouted, tapping into his Knight speed, easily seeing Freed's movements. He leaped at the psychotic priest, beginning a high speed sword match in the air. Steel rang out as sword met sword in the clash, appearing to the others as blurs of silver.

"It seems you are now defenseless, Valper Galilei," Erica announced, stepping up towards the former archbishop.

"Oh, at first glance I suppose so," Valper grinned. He then spread his arms out. "If you feel you can apprehend me young lady, then please, I invite you to do so."

Erica frowned, but didn't let doubt stop her. Lifting her sword, she charged at the former holy man. Valper grinned wider and didn't move. Erica's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but she heard a shout from Lilliana and instantly broke off, leaping back. It was fortunate that she did since in the next moment, a spear of light came down like a bolt from above, piercing the ground where she stood a heartbeat ago.

"What?!" Rias cried, looking up with the others. Instantly her eyes widened with shock.

Hanging in the air above the group, appearing in the green magic circles made by the Grigori, came a legion of Fallen Angels, their black feathers darkening the night sky while golden spears of light were gripped in their hands.

"Wh-what?!" Xenovia gasped.

"Oh boy," Ena's eyes narrowed as she took a stance.

"Oh don't look so surprised," Kokabiel sneered from his throne. "You can't really think that I was the only one who wanted to see the war restart. Not with the position of strength that the Grigori now has." His grin grew. "I _will_ have my war Rias Gremory, and your defiled corpse pinned to the front of this school will be my opening volley!"

"How were you even able to move this many without anyone noticing?!" Akeno gasped, seeing the numbers.

"Who said no one noticed? I'm sure Azazel and Michael both know what's going on by now," Kokabiel laughed. "Maybe now they'll get off their asses and we can get some fighting done!"

"Ha ha ha ha! Sorry children, but this war is going to begin and there is nothing you can do about it!" Valper laughed as the legions of Fallen landed behind him, glaring at the collection of Devils and magic-users. "The only ones on your side who could possible stop us are your Campione and I'd say they're quite tied up at the moment!"

A clash had Freed reappear at Valper's side, holding his Fused Excalibur with a laugh, "Oh boy! Time for a bloodbath and no cockblocking Campione to get in the way! HA HA HAA!"

"Tsk! Then you truly do underestimate a man such a Godou-sama! A mere minor deity such as Caligula or whatever his true name is will not be sufficient to defeat him!" Lilliana retorted.

"And with the Wisdom of Solomon at his side, Lord Summers will not fall to a mere knight or dragon!" Xenovia added on.

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Valper shrugged. "But none of you are on their level, making you easy prey!" he lifted his arm and pointed at the group. "ATTACK!"

"DON'T YOU DARE!"

* * *

 **?**

Irina sighed softly as she felt warmth enveloping her. Her wounds were gone and the pain gone with them. She sighed softly as she relaxed, content and warm. Was she in heaven now? Would this be where she could see God and his kingdom? She wanted to open her eyes and perhaps see that magnificence, but she felt so tired, unable to move.

"Ooooh, what an adorable little girl! It's been so long since I got to have a daughter!"

Who was that? Was it the Virgin Mary?

"You have a very pure heart you know. Full of faith and love. More people could learn a thing or two from you!"

Irina would have glowed with joy if she had the energy.

"I also approve of your relationship. He's a good boy who works hard to live up to the position that he's been put into. It seems that my youngest boys have good heads on their shoulders and fate is rewarding them. They could be a little less prudish though. I want grandchildren after all!"

Irina blushed a little, unsure of what to make of that.

"Anyway, you still have things to do, like stop that brute of a Fallen Angel before he really messes things up. Best to hurry you along," the female spoke, but then her tone changed as she spoke her next words. " **By the black art that I and Epimetheus left behind this is the sacred birth of an illegitimate child, shrouded in darkness, born of a witch and fool. A secret of usurpation only made possible through the sacrifice of a god.** "

Irina shivered as she felt a new warmth, a searing heat, enter her body. A power rushed through her veins she couldn't describe. It was pleasurable, it was painful, it was both. It mixed within her and spread through every cell in her body. She felt like she was transforming, but if it was something beyond or below a human, that would be up to philosophers to decide.

" **I, the all-giving woman Pandora declare that you shall be reborn as a Campione. The godslayer, the king of kings, the Campione!** "

Irina gasped as her eyes snapped open, catching sight of a youthful girl with long pink hair.

* * *

 **Kuoh Academy**

"HAH!"

Irina gasped as she woke up, struggling to breath for a moment. Coughing, she looked around, struggling to recall what had happened. She recalled fighting Mordred and then… Irina's eyes widened as her hand flew to her stomach. She felt the hole that Clarent had cut clean through her, but her skin was unblemished and only dried blood remained.

Irina stood up, feeling some ache in her muscles from sitting against the tree like she had been but not from anything else. She recalled being stabbed, then swearing to Mimic to be the kind of knight and warrior of truth and justice the sword was meant to be wielded for. It was a gambit, one she thought of in a split-second as she remembered how her Sweetums had used Rapidly. It worked, and she managed to strike a deathblow, but her memory got foggy after that.

"How am I alive?" she asked herself.

Her thoughts were cut off as she heard explosions and shouts. Discarding the other thoughts for the moment, Irina quickly searched for and retrieved Excalibur Mimic. The sword hummed in her hands, as if happy to see her. Irina smiled back at the sword, her own happy mindset glad for the reaction. Trusty sword in hand, Irina dashed out of the small wooded area where she fought Mordred…

…and walked into a war.

At one part, she could see a boy she hadn't met fighting Caligula, the two of them going at each other at high speeds, making flashes of gold as they clashed. At another spot where a building once stood, a massive red dragon was roaring and swiping at the ruined earth underneath it as if something was scrambling in and out of its view. Near the school itself though, she could see what looked like a small army of Fallen with their weapons trained on her friends and other people.

"Xenovia! Sweetums!" Irina cried, breaking out into a run as she dashed to protect her friends. She dashed past the high speed battle, neither combatant noticing her and jumped over some of the shards of disturbed rock and earth which blocked her way while the dragon fought it's opponent. She came up fast to the Fallen army, seeing Valper at their front, no doubt as a commander.

"ATTACK!" he bellowed, giving the order to fight.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Irina shouted loudly, coming up from behind.

Xenovia's head turned so quickly one might have thought her neck snapped. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, "I…Irina?

"Hi!" Irina smiled, coming to a stop. "Sorry I'm so late."

"But…but…you were…" Xenovia gaped.

"Oh? So you survived Mordred's assault eh?" Valper grinned. "Well I guess that means we can take Excalibur Mimic frim your ourselves. Where is Mordred anyway?"

Irina grinned, "No longer with us."

Valper stopped and frowned, "What? Surely you did not slay him, did you?"

Erica and Lilliana looked at one another, their eyes wide as a conclusion began to dawn on them. Ena merely blinked and then shrugged. Yuri's eyes just bulged as what was being insinuated came to her. The Devils were likewise beginning to get was Irina was suggesting to them.

In truth, Irina wasn't too sure herself, but all the signs pointed to it. Internally, she beseeched the new power she held to show itself if was there. She needn't have worried for the power Mordred once held was eager to be wielded by her. Held in the hands of a traitor for so long, it yearned to be used by one who was honourable and faithful.

Irina's eyes widened as a gold aura began surrounding her, shocking her allies and causing the Fallen to shift uncomfortably. Almost as if in a trance, Irina lifted her free hand and began to speak.

" _I am the sword which is raised in peace. I am the blade who shall rest with my king. I am the weapon who will bring forth your honor! I am the shining sword of Camelot!_ "

A bolt of pure silver appeared in Irina's hands, shining as brightly as any pure source could. The Fallen began to show signs of nervousness at the sight while Valper and Freed covered their eyes. The Devils and their allies likewise recoiled, but only because it was bright, not because it harmed them. The light died down, but the glow did not. This allowed the two sides to see what Irina had called to her side and it made them stop.

Irina had summoned a sword to her hand. At first glance, it appeared to be the same shape as Mordred's. However, the difference between that sword and the one Irina held were like night and day. The weapon, although a broadsword, was easy for Irina to hold and it was a silver so perfect, so pristine, one might almost think it platinum. The red accenting on the weapon was not the bloody red Mordred's weapon held, but a royal crimson which was pleasing to the eye.

"This is my Authority," Irina announced, lifting the sword. "The blade which anoints knights! The sword meant to be wielded by Arthur when Camelot was finally at peace! The sword which Mordred stole and used in his treachery! **Clarent: Sword of Knighthood!** "

"What the fuck is this shit?!" Freed growled, lifting his Fused Excalibur. However, the presence of the new sword was causing it to act funny, a resonation of some sort. It came as a hum and small vibration coming through the sword and Freed did not like it when his awesome sword began doing things it wasn't supposed to.

"Bah! Nothing to fear," Valper scoffed. "Clarent is a mighty sword in legend, but it holds none of the powers that Excalibur does. We have it and an army!"

"Wrong!" Irina retorted. "Clarent holds one power that Excalibur doesn't. A power which Excalibur could never have! A power that Mordred could never master but with my heart and soul, Clarent gives this power to me!"

Valper scowled, "And what _power_ could that be?"

Irina grinned, "The power to make _Knights_!"

Clarent began to shine and Irina brought the sword close as if about to whisper a prayer. Everyone waited with baited breath and soon they began to hear the sounds of marching and armor clanking. Irina's eyes then opened and in flashes of silver, knights began appearing. Adorned from head to toe, they were covered in perfect silver armor, holdings classic swords and shields. They looked every bit the knights which belonged in Camelot itself. In rows of seven, knights appeared, weapons ready and willing to do battle for their new 'King'.

"I don't believe this," Rias gasped at the sight of the knights.

"Holy shit!" Issei gaped quite openly.

"It makes sense," Erica nodded. "In myth, Clarent was the sword which was used to make knights. In Mordred's hands, a traitor and oath breaker, it was made into a king slayer. In the hands of a king who is faithful and holds to their oaths, it regains that ability to make knights."

"So…so…she really is a Campione," Yuri squeaked in fright.

"Thank God," Xenovia smiled, relieved and happy both that her friend had returned, but also with a substantial boost to her power.

"Oh shit!" Freed grinned. "Okay! All out war baby! Fuck, this is why I got into all this shit in the first place!"

Valper looked less confident, considering the knights were generated by a Campione's power, "Very well. War it is. All units, attack!"

"For the innocent!" Irina roared, pointing her weapon back at the Fallen.

With roars, the two sides of black and silver charged at one another with their weapons raised.

Above it all, Kokabiel's grin widened by a magnitude.

* * *

In his own fight, Godou skidded to a halt across from Caligula, both of them panting from moving so much. Although he was hiding it, Godou was feeling his chest clench in pain from using the Raptor too much. If he kept going, the pain would just get worse and eventually he'd start suffering from paralysis. That was the drawback on the Raptor and one of the worst ones in his opinion.

Still, Godou was working on a theory that Caligula wouldn't be able to use his usurped Authorities for very long. When he'd gotten the call from Michael Summers, Godou and his friends did a rush amount of research on Mordred and Caligula. Then by compounding all of the knowledge into _that spell_ , Godou was sure he knew enough about Caligula to make guesses about him.

He did wish the girls didn't get in their scuffle over who got to go first. Honestly, Godou didn't understand why they kept making big deals over that. It wasn't like he was anything special outside of being a Campione, right?

Ah, he was getting off track.

Caligula's ability to mimic other Authorities he didn't have came from how Caligula tried to replace the images of the Roman Pantheon with his own. It was a downright ballsy move in its time as he tried to have himself deified. It had happened to other Emperors, but only after they died. Caligula, the mortal one, had tried to do it while he was still alive. But it was only skin deep deification with his stunts. Godou knew he was no expert, but he guessed that Caligula's mimicked abilities wouldn't last very long, or got harder to use since legends were adamant that those abilities belong to the Roman Pantheon, not Caligula.

" **So…it seems speed will not win the day,** " Caligula gulped down some air. " **Very well. I can make this a different contest.** "

Ah, there it was. Godou watched the wings on his opponent's sandals vanish, prompting him to shut down the Raptor and alleviate the growing chest pains he was suffering.

Caligula smirked as he clenched his fists, " **Now instead of Mercury, you will face the might of Hercules!** " Caligula's body flashed gold and his muscles bulged, almost growing too tight for his armor to hold. Still, his imperial outfit remained on despite the bulging muscles of his frame. He sneered at Godou before beginning his charge, " **Now fall to the god who walks the lands!** "

Godou narrowed his eyes and prepared his next Authority, " _For I am strongest amongst the strong. Truly, I am one that holds each and every victory. I care not whom challenges me, whether man or devil; I may face all my foes and all my enemies. Regardless, I shall crush all those who wouldst stand in my way!"_

Godou became enveloped in golden power once again while the spinning stone circle in his mind landed on the image of a bull.

Caligula charged at Godou and the Seventh met him head on. The Heretic God crashed against the Campione, the two creating a shockwave from the hit. Godou quickly captured Caligula's hands in his own when the Hereic God tried to attack him. Caligula snorted and tried to push his muscles into simply overpowering Godou, but was shocked that the rather skinny young man was a perfect equal to his strength, leaving them stalemated.

This was the nature of the Bull. It granted Godou immense strength, provided the opponent was inhumanely strong. It only granted enough strength to counter the opponent, but depending on the opponent, that strength in itself would be a mighty weapon indeed.

" **What…what is this?! How can you match the strength of one of the mightiest of all?!** " Caligula grunted, trying to crush Godou, but finding the Campione returning the strength equally.

"Just a trick I picked up," Godou grinned, although he grunted as he pushed himself to keep up with Caligula's force.

Caligula scowled, but then grinned, " **Ah, so you intended to trick me out of using Mercury's speed and instead use another power so you could keep me pinned here while your comrades fought mine. A good plan, but I merely need to change to a different aspect of my divine form and I will escape and crush you!** "

"Well, you could," Godou grinned. "But no matter what Authority you picked, I just needed you to stand still for a minute or so."

" **What?** " Caligula blinked.

Godou's golden aura flared and he began to speak, _"Heed the power of my words, let justice reveal itself, under the strength and eloquence of this incantation, for strength is ever victorious, for strength is the answer to all things."_

The Bull ended and Caligula realized his error and quickly broke away to get distance from what Godou was planning. Sadly, the Authority of the Warrior appeared too quickly, enveloping the both of them in golden light. The surrounding area of Kuoh Academy vanished, transporting the Campione and Heretic God to a new realm, a place manifested by Godou's likely most potent Authority.

Around them was merely a blank desert with a dark blue sky. The land itself, despite being barren, had a golden glow around it as it was filled to the brim with divine power. Emerging from that soil like some kind of plants were golden swords, each with a straight edge and sticking up with strange writing on them.

" **What Authority is this?** " demanded Caligula. " **I see your swords, but they hardly intimidate once such as I!** "

"More fool on you," Godou retorted as a large gold sword, this one with a curve in its edge appeared in his hand. Staring right into Caligula's eyes, he spoke, " _Caligula is the nickname of Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus, the son the mighty general Germanicus who was in turn the nephew and adopted son of the emperor Tiberius. He was named Caligula, the little soldier boot, for the number of times he journeyed with his father to meet the troops._ "

The swords in the ground shuddered as the writing on the blades began to change. Caligula's eyes narrowed.

" _When Germanicus died in Antioch, his mother Agrippina brought him and his five siblings back to Rome, where a bitter feud left his family destroyed and him the only male survivor. The Emperor Tiberius took kindly to him though, and invited Caligula to live with him on the island of Capri. When Tiberius died, it was Caligula who succeeded him with the help of a Praetorian prefect, Naevius Sutorius Macro._ "

The swords shuddered more as if trying to escape the ground while the writing on their steel continued to change.

" _For six months, Caligula ruled to the love of his people. He eradicated taxes, rewarded the worthy, and gave generously to the people. The citizens loved him all the more for it. The senate wept for everything they were losing and the fortune which Tiberius amassed during his reign was quickly squandered on Caligula's flights of fancy!_ "

" **Your words mean nothing! I already know this!** " Caligula bellowed, charging through the field of shuddering swords towards Godou.

" _But Caligula secretly suffered. He suffered from epilepsy, an illness which the Roman people associated with the moon. He stared longingly up at the moon, holding conversations with it, growing sickly under its light. This was held in secret from the people, but a sign is his inability to swim, a staple of education to any Roman young man with a hint of noble blood. This disease addled his mind, warped him, changed him. Once was the young man so adored by the Roman people, soon there was a perverse, wrathful, paranoid, and deadly monster who now sat on the throne of Rome's empire!_ "

The swords shuddered even more before they finally broke free from their soil prison, drifting aimlessly into the air, the writing on their sides shifting and changing as Godou recited more knowledge. Caligula reached Godou and swing hard at him, but the spry Campione managed to dodge, hoping back a fair distance so he could continue speaking, empowering his Authority.

" _He descended into madness and debauchery. He feuded with the senate who grew used to being a power in themselves. He installed ridiculous taxes, placed senators on trial and executed them so to take their wealth and refill Rome's coffers. Soldiers who fought and risked their lives for the Empire were forced to give their hard-earned spoils of war over to him to repay Rome's debts! Caligula even circumvented the sacred laws of the dead, turning gains from wills to himself what was for the house of Tiberius!_ "

Some of the swords began to move in the air, taking aim at Caligula. The Heretic God grimaced and began to leap to and fro as some of the swords began to shoot at him. It was a token resistance, the beginnings of the Warrior's power awakening, but it wasn't completely just yet.

" _His greatest sin of all was his attempt to supplant the Gods of Rome with himself, breaking their statues so that his face would sit upon their mighty shoulders and the people would worship him instead of the rightful gods of their lands!_ " the swords seemed to vibrate, as if insulted by what Caligula had done. " _The senate, the soldiers, and the people could take no more. Tired of the murder, sin, debauchery, and taxation, it was the Praetorian Guard led by Cassius Chaerea and backed by the senate, the men confronted Caligula during a festival and assassinated him. Like his namesake Julius Caesar, he was assassinated by his own senate and guards in his own palace!_ "

The swords spun in the air, all of them pointed right at Caligula, no longer drifting and the writing on their surface now complete. The Warrior was now fully activated and ready to cut through the divinity of the Heretic God Caligula.

" **This will not beat me, boy!** " Caligula bellowed, his muscles shrinking as he summoned a gladius again. " **Not when I hold the skill of Mars!** "

" _This is the twisted tale of Caligula, one of the most despicable humans in history!_ " Godou finished, slashing his sword and pointing it right at the Heretic God.

The swords followed the command and like a sea of gold, the swords flew at Caligula. The Roman emperor bellowed back, slashing at the blades and cutting a good number of them away. For a brief moment, Godou feared that for all the knowledge he placed in the swords on Caligula, his ability to use the power of other gods would help him narrowly avoid the power of the Warrior.

That doubt died as Caligula suddenly faltered, knocking one sword away only to take one in the shoulder that was directly behind it. He attempted to get his rhythm back, but it was a lost cause. More swords slipped past his guard, piercing his body. Although the swords didn't cut his flesh, they did cut into his divinity, cutting the power of Caligula from the main core of his being.

When Mike had given the rather brief description of Caligula and his abilities, Godou and his friends figured likely Caligula was really a different Heretic God who had bound the burgeoning forced worship of the Roman emperor to himself, gaining whatever abilities the true Heretic God Caligula had if he truly became a god and kept them thanks to the man's infamy throughout history. With his ability to mimic the rest of the Roman pantheon, Godou decided that using the Warrior to cut out Caligula from the true Heretic God had to be done as soon as possible or else Godou would have exhausted his **Ten Incarnations** just keeping up with the entity.

Caligula was pierced with more and more of the swords, hacking his divinity away to nothing. His arms no longer worked and his legs began to fail as the power he sported was cut away, " **No! No! I cannot be brought low by this! This will not stand!** "

"HAAAHHHHH!" Godou bellowed, making another slash of his sword, sending the last of his conjured weapons down at the Heretic God.

" **NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!** "

The conjured world went up in light and the world returned to Kuoh Academy. The golden swords were gone and Godou stood across from his opponent. However, not only were the golden swords gone from his body, but his entire form had changed.

No longer was the Heretic God muscled like a mighty soldier and emperor, but lithe and quick, like a hunter. He no longer sported a fine sword of war, but instead held a simple bow in his hand with a quiver of arrows slung over his shoulder. Gone was his gold finery and royal crimson clothing, and instead he wore the simple white clothing of a hunter. Even his chiseled roman soldier-like features were gone and in their place was the classical male beauty more in line with a Greek. His hair was longer with a curl in it and his eyes were no longer so dark, appearing more like regular eyes than the dark glare they were before.

"Who are you?" Godou blinked, not sure of who it was he was looking at.

" **To think one of Pandora's bastard children would bring me so low,** " the Heretic God snarled. " **But by cutting my divinity, you reduced me to this! Remember my name, bastard child! I am Acteon, one of the greatest hunters in the lands! The one man trusted by Artemis herself and who cared for her hunting dogs!** "

"Acteon?" Godou frowned, but then he recalled the name. It came up in lessons Erica insisted he take in the event Athena returned or someone from her Greek pantheon family decided to take issue of how he'd beaten her. One of the names that came up was Artemis, goddess of the moon, maidens, and hunting.

In her legends, one in particular, a man named Acteon appeared. He was a hunter, although if he was just a hunter or someone who cared for Artemis' hunting dogs was up to debate. The story went that Acteon was out on a hunt and stumbled onto Artemis having a bath, catching her naked. Extremely offended at the slight to her chastity, Artemis turned him into a stag and had her hunting dogs chase down and kill him.

Frankly, the only reason he remembered the story was because it reminded Godou of how his sister treated him, thinking he was seducing girls left and right for some reason. Honestly, he wasn't like his grandfather!

"But…you're an aspect of Artemis' legends, not a god in yourself," Godou frowned. He definitely knew that Acteon was no god so how could he become a Heretic God?

" **True, I am not,** " Acteon scowled. " **When beloved Artemis became worshipped in Rome, I was left behind, broken away from her changing legend. I was left adrift, doomed to fade until the spark of a new god appeared in the Domain if Immortality. The spark created by Caligula as he attempted to deify himself, forcing his followers to worship him. We shared the common thread of being ruined by the moon, myself by Artemis and him by the disease Romans associated with it. Using it, I absorbed that burgeoning worship, allowing me to become Caligula. Using my new mantle, I eventually broke free to pursue my Artemis who took the name Diana.** " Acteon's face turned to a deep scowl, " **But I was too late! A bastard child of Pandora stole her from me! So now I wait here until she returns and I will make my mighty empire worthy of her for when she comes to the mortal realm once again!** "

Godou frowned, moving into a ready stance as he cycled through his Authorities to use. "I don't think so!"

" **Bah! Your word means nothing to me, but this is a fight I would not win at my current strength!** " Acteon bent his knees before he suddenly dashed, leaping away in a blur. Godou tried to follow him with his eyes, but only saw a flash of brown leaping over nearby rooftops. " **We will meet again Campione! When I make your kind a sacrifice to my beloved Diana!** "

Godou frowned, knowing he couldn't follow without the Raptor. Acteon would have to wait for another time. The others were going to need his help. He turned to see about either the dragon or the Fallen Angel when…

" **GRAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!** "

* * *

Mike groaned as he felt his dizziness pass. Shaking his head, he looked around to see the immediate area torn apart like a bomb had gone off. The ground was torn asunder and chunks of earth were ripped from the ground and scattered all over the place. Getting to his knees, Mike frowned when he saw at the center of it all the familiar red dragon, all but _sneering_ at him.

" **Well, well, well,** **so you managed to get out unscathed even,** " Y Ddraig Goch chuckled. " **You bastard children of Pandora are a hardy bunch; I'll give you that.** "

"Yeah, we tend to be," Mike grimaced. He tried to feel for Grani, but the horse was gone. Likely dissipated back to wherever he went when Mike wasn't using him. He tried to pull Grani back to the world, but the Authority was stubborn and wouldn't react. Mike guessed it was because Grani was injured and needed time to recover.

"Contractor!" Gremory's voice called as the Devil flew down to his side. "I feared the worst when the dragon pulled that little stunt."

"You and me both," Mike got to his feet.

"Should you not be using that Wisdom of Solomon so many say you hold?" asked Gremory. "It would be pivotal in fighting this opponent."

Mike heaved a pained sigh, "I've tried, but I just can't _focus!_ I'm such an emotional mess right now I can't get the _**Heart of Wisdom**_ to work!"

"I see," Gremory nodded. She glanced over to where another battle was taking place, "Then correct me if I am wrong, but is that not your dead lover fighting that horde of Fallen with your friends?"

She pointed to where the small battle was going on, prompting Mike to look and be ready to yell at the Devil for her insensitivity. He stopped as he blinked, seeing the familiar brunette slash at a pair of Fallen which tried to impale her. She gripped Excalibur Mimic proudly, but also in her hands was a silver and crimson broadsword which she kept in her free hand, even if she wasn't using it to attack.

Mike gaped, "Irina?"

" **BURN!** "

"Move you fool!" Gremory shouted, wrapping her arms around Mike before flying out of the way of a stream of fire which nearly melted the ground which it struck. Gremory landed heavily, letting Mike stumble from her grasp, "Keep your head in the battle Contractor! I don't need the black mark on my record of letting my Contractors die on my watch!"

"R-right," Mike blinked. He felt like he was in a daze, but he shook it off, managing to get his head back into the game. A bloom opened in his chest as he realized that it wasn't an illusion, Irina was alive and well, fighting off the Fallen again.

Mike faced Y Ddraig Goch as the red dragon turned to face him once again. The red dragon snarled, smoke flaring from his nostrils in annoyance. Mike didn't let the image intimidate him, bracing himself for his next move. With the source of his turmoil settled, or as best as one could in the heat of battle, Mike gave his next Authority a shot.

" _Oh ye, I beseech thy Lord for the sake of my people. I shall tell right from wrong, good from evil, and truth from lies. Let my wisdom come forth and solve all woes of my people. I shall be the one whose wisdom shall end all quarrel and strife!_ "

The Authority flashed in Mike's mind, the image of Solomon's image glowing in the expanding mural. It flickered slightly with Mike's emotional turmoil. After a few flickers, the power began to shine, spreading golden power through Mike's body, turning his skin a familiar golden with his eyes turning pure white.

" **Bah! No Authority you possess can stop me!** " Y Ddraig Goch bellowed, racing towards the Campione and his summoned Devil.

Mike didn't respond to the taunt, instead speaking with his Authority, " _Y Ddraig Goch is the Welsh name for The Red Dragon. Your story began in the Mabinogion. In it, the land of Wales was your homeland. Your story began when a white dragon invaded suddenly and you battled him. The shrieks of fury from your battle caused women to miscarry, animals to die, and plants to become barren._ "

Y Ddraig Goch roared and swiped at Mike. The Campione dodged to the side as Gremory took to the skies once again. Passing by the red dragon's side, Mike got some distance as the bulky creature was forced to turn around to get at him again.

" _Faced with the ruin of his country, Lludd, the King of Briton sought advice from his brother Llefelys in France. Together they concocted a plan to trap you and your opponent. Digging a hole in the center of Wales, they filled it with the finest mead. You and the white dragon eagerly drunk the wine and fell asleep. Lludd then had you both wrapped in cloth and imprisoned you in Dinas Emrys in Snowdonia._ "

" **BE SILENT!** " Y Ddraig Goch roared, angling his head to fire another stream of dragonfire at his opponent. Again, Mike moved to get out of the way. Still, it didn't stop the flames from singing his clothes, leaving smoky trails as he ran.

" _You emerged again in the tales within Historia Brittonum,_ " Mike continued as if he hadn't nearly been torched to death. " _You and the white dragon remained imprisoned in Dinas Emrys for centuries, forgotten by the people, forgotten that you were even there! Then King Vortigern attempted to build a castle right on top of you! Your battle with the white dragon raged on still so every night, the foundations for the castle he sought were torn down by the quakes your fighting caused!_ "

Y Ddraih Goch snarled, his temper flaring at anybody insuiating that he, **HE** the Red Dragon Emperor, was forgotten and imprisoned in such a measly trap. He let loose another roar and swiped his tail at Mike. Mike frowned and gave a sharp whistle, bringing Gremory to his side who quickly hoisted him up into the air as the tail of the dragon tore through the earth where he stood a moment ago.

"You're making him angry," Gremory warned.

"That's the idea," Mike replied before continuing to speak. " _Vortigern sought out his advisors and they told him to find a boy who had no natural father and sacrifice him to end the earthquakes. Such a boy was found, later revealing his name as Merlin. He scoffed at their idea and revealed the knowledge of the dragons beneath the castle foundations. The area was excavated and you were there, still fighting the invading white dragon._ "

" **Hold still you little gnat!** " Y Ddraig Goch roared, launching another stream of fire up at the pair. Gremory grimaced and dipped and swerved out of the way of the attacks, although even with the distance she had, the extreme heat from the flames still made her winces.

"Whatever your idea is Contractor, best do it soon," the voluptuous woman grimaced. "I cannot protect you like this forever."

"Just a little more," Mike continued his words of knowledge. " _You eventually won the battle and Merlin decreed that the white dragon represented the invading Saxons while the red represented Vortigern's people. The people who defeated those invaders, eventually taking on the name Welsh in honor of their land!_ "

" **Cease your prattling! It serves no purpose!** " Y Ddraig Goch bellowed, preparing another blast.

" _Through this tale, I see your fatal flaw,_ " Mike grinned. " _Through rain, sleet, and snow, despite waking up in an underground cavern, despite the indignity of being laid low due to drink, your still sought battle with the white dragon. You fought, and fought, and fought for no other reason other than you were angry! Angry at the invasion, angry at the indignity, angry at everything heaped onto you! It makes your flaw blatantly obvious! Your fatal flaw is: Wrath!_ "

" **Bah! My wrath is my power and one you will now experience!** " Y Ddraig Goch roared, his mouth glowing as more fire was prepared to be launched.

"Drop me," Mike spoked, prompting Gremory to blink, but she obeyed. It wasn't a far drop, but Mike fell heavily as he landed in a crouch, slamming his palms into the ground. The soil almost rippled before the ground below Y Ddraig Goch exploded with multiple marble pillars which smashed into the red dragon's belly and face. The flames spewed out haphazardly, destroying a swath of trees as the dragon bellowed in pain as he thrashed to smash the assaulting pillars.

Mike didn't stop as he stood up, raising his hands. Between the pillars, the ground shuddered again as numerous golden spears rose up, stabbing into Y Ddraig Goch's belly, eliciting a screech from the dragon as it felt the sharpened tips pierce his hide. A flap of his wings allowed the dragon to rise up, freeing himself from the blades. The blades didn't penetrate deeply enough to be considered lethal in any sense, but they still hurt. Ichor spilled from the wounds, although again, nothing which would show it was a lethal blow. It was enough to show that the tide wasn't entirely in the red dragon's favor.

Mike grimaced as he watched the dragon rise. At the moment, the Campione was at a disadvantage. He'd gone into the fight angry and he wasted stamina first against Caligula, and now against Y Ddraig Goch. His **Heart of Wisdom** was helping what energy he had left, but against a foe like the Welsh Red Dragon, that was only going to slow it down. Shallow cuts weren't going to do much either before Mike exhausted himself.

No, he was going to need something big, something which could strike Y Ddraig Goch and hit something sensitive. The belly was out since even if he could begin landing an assault to the softer scales, the red dragon could just take flight and minimize the damage. So where else was a dragon vulnerable? If the scales everywhere else could withstand most weapons, where else could one try to stab a dragon?

And then the answer just hit Mike like Y Ddraig Goch's tail upside the head.

' _I'm such an idiot!_ ' Mike grimaced to himself before he looked up to Gremory, "Gremory, tell me when his breath is running out and the fire is the weakest!"

Gremory glanced to Mike and replied, "Your pillars and gold are going to melt before that happens!"

"Just do it!"

" **BURN!** "

Y Ddraig Goch fired another stream of his fire and Mike reacted, summoning up another row of pillars to block the flames. The flames struck the stone pillars and soon they were starting to melt, turned red hot by the pure heat the dragon's fire was unleashing on them. Still, the red dragon wasn't running out of steam and Mike summoned a second barrier of pillars behind the first before they failed. The heat wasn't stopped though and Mike grimaced, sweltering under it even if the flames themselves weren't touching him.

"Come on, you have to run out of breath at some point," Mike muttered as he prepared to raise a third row of pillars. "You're too pissed off to go for half-measures at this point."

Finally, as the second row of pillars began to bend from the head, he heard Gremory shouting from above, "Contractor, he's running out of breath!"

"Good!" Mike grit his teeth. What was next would be painful and possibly suicidal, but if he timed it right he could hit that one vulnerable spot that every dragon had. "Here goes!"

Mike pushed his hands down, letting the pillars sink back into the ground. He immediately charged towards the red dragons as weak streams of fire flew at him, no longer obstructed. Mike shielded his face and dared not to breathe. His arms immediately screamed in pain as the flames licked over them while his clothes were blackened and burning from the flames. Fortunately, Mike's Campione toughness and the fact the flames were at their weakest helped. Through it all though, he saw Y Ddraig Goch's still open mouth as the last of the dragon's wrath was pointed at him.

"EAT THIS!" Mike roared, stomping a foot on the ground.

The ground shuddered before another pillar broke from the ground, angled right at the dragon's maw. Unlike the other pillars though, this one held a portion of the shattered earth on top of it. Again, the dragon's wrath worked against him as he had focused on Mike and was taken off guard by the sudden attack. The pillar and its load smashed directly into Y Ddraig Goch's mouth, cutting off the flames entirely and jamming his jaws wide open with the mound of earth.

" **GHCK?!** " the dragon gagged in shock. Dropping back, the red dragon began to thrash his head to try and dislodge the obstruction in his jaws.

"My, my, that's a new one," Gremory tittered as she flew down to Mike's side. The Campione's clothes were charred and his face and bared arms were red, burned by the weak dragon fire. Still, he was alive and well. "You plan to choke him?"

"No," Mike shook his head. "Get me to the mound in his mouth! Fast!"

"Yes Contractor!" Gremory grinned. Taking Mike into her arms, and not accidentally pressing her massive melons into the back of his neck, Gremory darted through the sky and towards the thrashing dragon. Coming in, Gremory held Mike out in her arms where he grasped until his fingers sank into the soil stuck in the dragon's mouth. " _Deep within the earth, my reign grows onward. My wealth swells, my treasures increase, all for the prosperity of my kingdom. The vaults are locked to all but me and now I shall open the doors and bask in the radiant glow!_ "

Mike's body flashed gold before the ball of dirt in the dragon's mouth likewise flashed. A muffled bellow came from the dragon's mouth, trying to turn his head away before-!

* **SQUEALCH!** *

The dragon stiffened as the back of its neck, the top of its skull, and any space in between suddenly exploded with golden battleaxes, spears, and just about any long and pointed implement of death that the Authority of Solomon had on hand.

The air was still as Y Ddraig Goch's body stiffened, his eyes widening in shock. After a few moments, his body shuddered before falling over, crashing onto the ground in a heap. Gremory flew back from the hot corpse before landing on the ground, releasing Mike from her embrace. The eighth Campione grunted, trying to reclaim his breath as he looked at the dragon's body.

"So that was your plan," Gremory nodded. "Your Authority allows you to summon weapons from the soil, so you lodged a portion of earth into his mouth so you could strike at his vulnerable insides."

"Yes," Mike nodded, his skin turning back to normal, or rather pink from his new burns, causing him to wince as the recoil from **Heart of Wisdom** hit him. "Oh damn that hurts. I figured his insides were fireproof, but not as armored as his outsides."

"A sound deduction," Gremory nodded, watching as the dragon's body began to glow before starting to vanish into golden sparkles. "But was the phrase 'eat this' necessary?"

"Seemed appropriate," Mike shrugged. He groaned as he tried to get the soreness back to a manageable level. A heat was spreading through his body as more of Y Ddraig Goch's body vanished. "Now come on, we still have to deal with Koka-!"

*BOOOM!*

Gremory and Mike stopped as an explosion came from where Mike's friends were fighting with Kokabiel's forces. Smoke rose from an explosion as above them all, Kokabiel was no longer on his throne, but standing above the battle with his arm positioned like he had thrown something.

"It seems the Fallen is no longer content to just watching," Gremory frowned.

"Yeah," Mike frowned. "Okay, let's go."

"Summers!" Mike stopped as he saw Godou running towards him.

"Aniki," Mike nodded to his Campione sibling. "You able to keep going?"

"Yes," Godou nodded before looking to where the smoke was billowing. "Let's hurry!

Mike nodded and both Campione (and one summoned Devil) took off for the scene of the final battle of the night.

The most important battle they were going to fight.

 **To Be Continued…**

A/N: Okay, finally! Getting the right words for the fight scenes this time was hard. I wanted to make good fights, but I also didn't want to make them too short nor did I want Godou to steal the entire spotlight. Still, the climax is nigh. The Heretic Gods have been defeated or driven off and now Kokabiel's army and the Fallen himself will have to deal with three Campione and all of their friends. Still, they're tired, bruised, and bloody but they're all still geared for a fight. Could Mike's new Authority tip things in their favor?

And now for Irina's new power…

 **Clarent: Sword of Knighthood**

" _I am the sword which is raised in peace. I am the blade who shall rest with my king. I am the weapon who will bring forth honor! I am the shining sword of Camelot!_ "

This Authority manifests as the infamous sword used by Mordred to slay his own father on the fields of Camlann. As an Authority, it holds the power to manifest knights. Although Mordred could use this power, it was limited to him since his essence involves treachery which is anathema to Clarent's initial purpose, only allowing him to conjure enough knights to match the same number which betrayed Arthur. A token force at best. In Irina's hands, she is able to easily access this power thanks to her faith and belief in loyalty. As such, she can manifest a small army's worth of knights. However, she is limited merely to infantry at the moment. No archers, cavalry, or special units. Also, in her hands another limitation is that she cannot spill blood with Clarent. That is not something which is part of Clarent's core. If she does, the knights will vanish, leaving her vulnerable. Likewise, the knights will vanish if she dismisses the sword.

…oh, and by the way, I am aware that Acteon being Caligula is a bit of a weird thing in the mechanics of Heretic Gods. If you don't get my line of thought from this chapter, then I'll try to explain in greater detail after the fighting is done.


End file.
